tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35496216484677605142024-03-12T20:43:51.813-06:00Old Gunkie in WYMinor adventures of an old Gunks climber living in Wyoming.Old Gunkie in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09361207827364887045noreply@blogger.comBlogger138125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3549621648467760514.post-54794249600192132762015-07-31T12:51:00.000-06:002015-07-31T12:51:18.610-06:00Humpies on the fly<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A feisty humpy.</td></tr>
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<br />Garrett and I fished north of Juneau - throwing flies at Echo Cove for pinks. We arrived at high tide, which may not be the best time. There was the infrequent fish that jumped, indicting there were at least a few in the cove. I caught a nice one on a purple and pink marabou intruder. I was fishing Garrett's 7/8 weight 10' 6" Beulah switch rod with a Wulff Ambush line - a perfect set up for thsi type of fishing.<div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nice chrome female pink caught in the salt.</td></tr>
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After only one fish caught - we moved on to Cowee Creek. There were a bunch of folks spin fishing at the bridge so we wandered down the path along the stream into a real bear garden. Later found out that there is a mother Brown bear with two cubs in the area. Cowee was full of pinks, more spent that the one I'd caught in the salt, but Garrett hooked and landed three. I hooked up with one, but lost it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female Pink.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male Pink salmon, AKA Humpie.</td></tr>
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Old Gunkie in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09361207827364887045noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3549621648467760514.post-246514581004799882015-07-31T12:26:00.001-06:002015-07-31T12:26:15.086-06:00Alaska!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Spawning Salmon, Sheep Creek, near Juneau</div>
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First trip to Alaska! Garrett is flying for Wings of Alaska based in Juneau and we're here for a short visit. These are mostly chum salmon and a few pinks/humpies. The coho will start running in another week or two.<br />
Old Gunkie in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09361207827364887045noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3549621648467760514.post-14596556421440930032015-05-10T11:30:00.000-06:002015-05-10T11:30:41.656-06:00Reflections on Late Summer Mushroom Hunting<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Boletus Edulus + Forest Kit (Cane, Browning Hi-Power and Leica Trinovid 10x42)</td></tr>
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Back in the end of August I drove up into the National Forest for the afternoon. By the time September rolls around it's getting late in the season to find King Bolete mushrooms. King Boletes are big enough and, with their distinctive brown orange color, I imagined I could do some road hunting for them. I drove slowly trying to spot them from the truck. The bright yellow orange Siberian Slippery Jacks (Suillus sibiricus) are also easily spotted from a distance. Suillus are edible though David Aurora describes them in his book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mushrooms-Demystified-David-Arora/dp/0898151694" target="_blank">Mushrooms Demystified</a> as "thin-fleshed, insipid and slimy". I've tried them and, sadly must agree. In my experience, they <i>can </i>be indicators for Kings and so a bloom of Slippery Jacks is worth investigating.<br />
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Not far into the forest I stopped the truck in a spot where I've been successful before and decided to walk a little. Almost immediately after getting out of the truck and stumbling around with my cane a bit I found a King Bolete! I collected it but fully expected it to be worm ridden as they often are by late afternoon. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Driving very slowly and looking hard reveals what otherwise might remain hidden.</td></tr>
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Quick success can make a hunt (of any kind) seem too easy. After finding one bolete, I was certain I'd find many more. I entertained visions of pounds of perfect boletes, enough to dry some for winter stews. I worried that I had not brought enough bags with me to carry them all. I did not find another. And the further I drove into the forest, hunting for at least one more, the more I became convinced that the one I <i>had </i>found was inedible because of worms.<br />
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I drove home the long way, exploring some new country. At one point, I stopped the truck for a few minutes to admire the view and in another minute saw a grouse head bobbing through the tall grass. ... and then another and another. I'd stumbled on a covey of six young dusky grouse.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dusky grouse in the tall grass.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The covey headed for cover - the nearest tree in the open landscape.</td></tr>
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It would be hard to convey the pleasure I got from seeing the grouse. It had been a wet summer and the tall grass in this country was atypical, I've never seen it this tall. </div>
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When I got home I cut up my King Bolete. There were a couple of small worm tracks in the stem, but it was otherwise perfect. Sauteed in butter and served together with a nice steak it made for a wonderful meal.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simply sauteed in butter with salt and pepper.</td></tr>
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Old Gunkie in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09361207827364887045noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3549621648467760514.post-24031841613622083362014-09-13T14:35:00.000-06:002014-09-14T20:29:46.109-06:00Malcolm Brooks reading in Denver<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption">Malcolm responding to a question at the reading. [Photo: Reid Farmer]</td></tr>
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Malcolm Brooks is a friend whose first novel, <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/painted-horses-malcolm-brooks/1117078250?ean=9780802121646" target="_blank">Painted Horses</a>, has been receiving a well deserved widely celebrated reception. His book has been included on many summer reading lists, he has been featured by Barnes and Nobel in their "<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/discover-great-new-writers/379003379/" target="_blank">Discover Great New Writers</a>" series, and the book is widely receiving <a href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/books/2014/08/16/book-review-painted-horses-malcolm-brooks/QPuRacIlYAsr3lfY67Js9H/story.html" target="_blank">glowing reviews</a>. Malcolm's writing is being compared to the best of the best: Hemingway, Cormac McCarthy, Charles Frazier, Ivan Doig, and Michael Ondaatje, Wallace Stegner, Thomas McGuane, Annie Proulx and others! All favorites of mine - no wonder I loved the book. Here's an excerpt from a review in Dallas Morning News.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2bF6lZs-i7iUMIFiF_D8p8tPOSTLSKE0XWXsyNPne5XL6bHorKwvX98ZJeCkfHl3YXnShvM4PrCPGPIZ6MEeXaIjVM228Nd16vrJmjA57-8lgC8tlaJmftbyTCHuUI7wRPzVkrfez8Bp/s1600/Painted+Horses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2bF6lZs-i7iUMIFiF_D8p8tPOSTLSKE0XWXsyNPne5XL6bHorKwvX98ZJeCkfHl3YXnShvM4PrCPGPIZ6MEeXaIjVM228Nd16vrJmjA57-8lgC8tlaJmftbyTCHuUI7wRPzVkrfez8Bp/s1600/Painted+Horses.jpg" height="200" width="134" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2bF6lZs-i7iUMIFiF_D8p8tPOSTLSKE0XWXsyNPne5XL6bHorKwvX98ZJeCkfHl3YXnShvM4PrCPGPIZ6MEeXaIjVM228Nd16vrJmjA57-8lgC8tlaJmftbyTCHuUI7wRPzVkrfez8Bp/s1600/Painted+Horses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></a><i>Painted Horses reads like a cross between Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain and Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms, with a pinch of Michael Ondaatje’s The English Patient for good measure. It’s an earnest, romantic novel that seems destined for the silver screen. <a href="http://www.dallasnews.com/entertainment/books/20140822-fiction-review-painted-horses-by-malcolm-brooks.ece">review by WILLIAM J. COBB, Dallas Morning News</a>.</i></blockquote>
I won't say much about the plot except to note that it's a Western novel (with a capital "W") mainly set in 1956 (my birth year) with flashbacks to WWII. Not only that, but there is a significant character named Caldwell. Malcolm assures me that the character is named for me.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Carlos and I drove down to Denver last Wednesday for Malcolm's reading and book signing at the Tattered Cover. </span><a href="http://stephenbodio.blogspot.com/2014/09/break.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Steve Bodio</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> flew up from NM for the reading and to introduce Malcolm. Other Denver friends showed up as well.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Malcolm reading.</td></tr>
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Malcolm read one of the most heartbreaking and dramatic pieces from the book. After the reading, Malcolm took questions from the audience. There were some wonderful questions about his process and the origins of the novel. Malcolm's articulate and deeply personal answers captured the imaginations of all of us there. Aside from the compelling sweeping narrative, Malcom's book reads like a vocabulary of almost lost words, words describing western landscape, horse anatomy, and technical language related to horse tack. The breadth and depth of Malcolm's experience and research is astounding.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgorA9UpssqcYx1oSR0twXfsGj6veY937-ozqgwlvfih-alhAcrGViy0x2D9EV4Wdcvcr07i03RfKuHXXyV0Pr9gd8zBJF21XT0qTiMRT2ljASVJHcLUYX5duq6duiDedh8o2N_ahRM7NCy/s1600/Group2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgorA9UpssqcYx1oSR0twXfsGj6veY937-ozqgwlvfih-alhAcrGViy0x2D9EV4Wdcvcr07i03RfKuHXXyV0Pr9gd8zBJF21XT0qTiMRT2ljASVJHcLUYX5duq6duiDedh8o2N_ahRM7NCy/s1600/Group2.jpg" height="368" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gathering of the clan: Carlos, OldGunkie, Reid Farmer, Malcolm Brooks, Steve Bodio [photo: Connie Farmer]</td></tr>
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And for all of us who think we might just write more if we had the time, Malcolm wrote the book over a period of five years while working full-time as a carpenter in Missoula. He puts us all to shame.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtglUQFrfE-qOpK_AsSAQMLn1uoGkEJHmmcv5qSDzF1iSJ8mR70jW-z_ia0B48cedJlx7yTsQMrmGVOBnMllbqQt6FLpFSAwjRAnsRn9ZdsRn8xCA2bB7CRqSTpOAQ8AJt1AznsTeNNGP5/s1600/pig+night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtglUQFrfE-qOpK_AsSAQMLn1uoGkEJHmmcv5qSDzF1iSJ8mR70jW-z_ia0B48cedJlx7yTsQMrmGVOBnMllbqQt6FLpFSAwjRAnsRn9ZdsRn8xCA2bB7CRqSTpOAQ8AJt1AznsTeNNGP5/s1600/pig+night.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I took the pig over the door as a very good sign indeed and the menu and food did not disapoint.</td></tr>
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After the reading, on Arthur's recommendation, nine friends retired to a fine Italian restaurant <a href="http://www.osteriamarco.com/wp-content/themes/new_marco/images/pdfs/menu.pdf">Osteria Marco</a> to continue the conversation with food and drink. I could not resist the <i>Ciccioli Succulent Braised Pulled Pork</i> appetizer and had the <i>Rabbit Roman Gnocchi, Apple-Fennel Braise, </i><i>Whole Grain Mustard Sauce </i>as a main course. Wine drinkers among us shared a bottle of red Tuscan wine recommended by the waiter though I do not recall the name.<br />
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Our group included: Arthur (a friend of Steve's with expertise in rare antique military weapons), Arthur's sister, Malcolm, Connie Farmer's sister, Connie Farmer (Reid's wife), Reid Farmer (archeologist and contributor to the <a href="http://stephenbodio.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Querencia blog</a>), Carlos Martinez Del Rio, Steve, and myself. The food and drink was excellent and then, of course, there was endlessly fascinating and wide ranging conversion; writing and writers (good, bad, and obnoxious), falconry, guns, pigeons, more guns, food, wine, and music. A woefully incomplete list of topics I can recall that were mentioned or discussed included: Annie Dillard, the post-punk band <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission_of_Burma" target="_blank">Mission of Burma</a>, mushroom hunting, Johnny Cash, the eccentric Oxford naturalist <a href="http://www.zoo.ox.ac.uk/people/view/kingdon_j.htm" target="_blank">Jonathan Kingdon</a>, <a href="http://thegreatmodel8.remingtonsociety.com/" target="_blank">Remington Model 8 rifles</a>, <a href="http://askmisterscience.com/1896mauserbackup/index.html" target="_blank">Mauser Broomhandles</a> (especially regarding the merits of the 7.63 Mauser cartridge over the 9mm Luger chambering), Annie Proulx, the 1903 Mannlicher Schoenaur rifle, technical details (that were beyond my ken) of evolutionary biology of horses, dinosaurs, birds and lizards.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-80JaQjd0Z-mzMADEr4FiaOZyBYnCJyhBZuTWy2qIJ6De1CDmlgBNshoOyuln0oMyOKPRePXDdbf4VW-Lu8fTIkD5R2tkdkeos9K3hO0eomfcj7L1yUF4ARyWec2mCey4-Pxy4MXqj5fw/s1600/dinner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-80JaQjd0Z-mzMADEr4FiaOZyBYnCJyhBZuTWy2qIJ6De1CDmlgBNshoOyuln0oMyOKPRePXDdbf4VW-Lu8fTIkD5R2tkdkeos9K3hO0eomfcj7L1yUF4ARyWec2mCey4-Pxy4MXqj5fw/s1600/dinner.jpg" height="102" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our table at Osteria Marco.</td></tr>
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A good time was had by all. I can not imagine anyone who better deserves the astounding success Malcolm is enjoying and the wonderful reception of his exceptional novel. Congratulations Malcolm! ... and if you don't have a copy - get one. </div>
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Old Gunkie in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09361207827364887045noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3549621648467760514.post-1831786301330969052014-09-05T15:29:00.001-06:002014-09-07T02:44:04.208-06:00Man Down<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPznNveIT8D-5-Jq_V8tgfMohyFXhOYM9_gau2NK5O6vahRigFf2rlNnYzbF7J9COygd5IUpCI-6is8piCG6VAaeHDEFn2AueubjfbmqNRYhtWnHY5scpZt3Un2C9hA-uqGudOWR9wjbP7/s1600/Equestrian_disaster.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPznNveIT8D-5-Jq_V8tgfMohyFXhOYM9_gau2NK5O6vahRigFf2rlNnYzbF7J9COygd5IUpCI-6is8piCG6VAaeHDEFn2AueubjfbmqNRYhtWnHY5scpZt3Un2C9hA-uqGudOWR9wjbP7/s1600/Equestrian_disaster.JPG" height="278" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Antique Italian photograph of a man off his horse - dated in pen 8.3.1926 </td></tr>
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It's been some time since I posted here. I spent most of my summer seeing a small army of physicians. They diagnosed an autoimmune condition as the cause of the peripheral neuropathy that has been affecting my feet and lower legs. The experts will rarely say with certainty what causes this kind of condition, I am sure it is the result of a major viral infection in 2010 caused by Colorado Tick Fever. For the time being anyway, I am mostly disabled. I'm able to get around with a cane and am wobbly from the drug therapy I am undergoing. Nerves heal, but even in the best case it will take a year (or more) to regain my balance and strength. For concerned readers I should note that I maintain what I like to think of as a realistic optimistism.<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">Those of us who spend time in rugged country inhabited by large predators are often too keenly aware of the dangers posed by teeth and claws. Being attacked by an animal that can kill and eat you is a primal fear dating to the very beginning of human existence. Statistically, it is the tiny guys, the bacteria and viruses, that present the greatest threat, not the lions and tigers and bears. </span></div>
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There are a couple of examples that come to mind, one fictional and one not.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9P_N08f0osM7nWA6ZFIJi_OZAbHDoyGJErjHoVVdJGrPmdsJzeelTHEEaZSsC67tBehXhDeHx6nMdAtN8cTA8s3VkWSnV3fXHug0n58eJ8tmv6S5AMDq3EBdquxtY-iuD5O7fUg6gPQby/s1600/Ernest_Hemingway_on_safari,_1934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9P_N08f0osM7nWA6ZFIJi_OZAbHDoyGJErjHoVVdJGrPmdsJzeelTHEEaZSsC67tBehXhDeHx6nMdAtN8cTA8s3VkWSnV3fXHug0n58eJ8tmv6S5AMDq3EBdquxtY-iuD5O7fUg6gPQby/s1600/Ernest_Hemingway_on_safari,_1934.jpg" height="248" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hemingway on safari in 1934</td></tr>
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Hemingway's story <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/SNOWS-KILIMANJARO-Other-Stories-Lighted/dp/B00201CS2U" target="_blank">The Snows of Kilimanjaro</a></i> is structured around the irony of a seemingly inconsequential event resulting in the most dramatic outcome. Harry dies on safari, not killed by dangerous game but as the result of an infected wound caused by a thorn. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKWmqJdU1S3GxkxkcguBZQdKmhFUZJb8QMjgr1wfPfSSaonbnIVaNvAgU-5BTos9PUXBOxE3-JZAVfmNVNwUMfoJcpDPYV25EgHbg6F6pXLR23xT0x7KPKKs85plJY4dU_-Ep_pGmiM0o/s1600/Carnarvon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKWmqJdU1S3GxkxkcguBZQdKmhFUZJb8QMjgr1wfPfSSaonbnIVaNvAgU-5BTos9PUXBOxE3-JZAVfmNVNwUMfoJcpDPYV25EgHbg6F6pXLR23xT0x7KPKKs85plJY4dU_-Ep_pGmiM0o/s1600/Carnarvon.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Egyptologist Lord Carnavon, died from a mosquito bite.</td></tr>
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The genesis of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curse_of_the_pharaohs" target="_blank">Curse of the Pharaohs</a> rests with a mosquito bite. What could be more inconsequential? The extraordinarily wealthy British adventurer <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Herbert,_5th_Earl_of_Carnarvon" target="_blank">George Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnarvon</a>, financed the expedition to excavate King Tut's tomb in the valley of the Kings. In 1922 Lord Carnarvon entered the tomb. In 1923 he died in the Continental-Savoy Hotel in Cairo from a mosquito bite infected by a shaving accident. His death, and others, spawned the legend of the curse on those who disturb the tomb of a mummy. <br />
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While I was laid up this summer I spent far too much time looking at vintage and contemporary photographs online. I looked at thousands of photographs but I did not know what I was looking for until I saw it, an antique Italian photograph of a horse and rider going down in a cloud of dust. In a rather stunningly symbolic way it represents my own situation. Man down.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrJHIGBkkZvBHIHgdTsSpWtNI4XHiNGkliEAT98o8ZCRaMAzNbkcvUWnAGp6Dv2TZulTD5wbpkyDw4Te4-CscebW3hMqQAia13U7zoMmBCNEkiWnSQkwE9s3OgY34hkDj9C2liUCoHDtnZ/s1600/Fallen+Rider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrJHIGBkkZvBHIHgdTsSpWtNI4XHiNGkliEAT98o8ZCRaMAzNbkcvUWnAGp6Dv2TZulTD5wbpkyDw4Te4-CscebW3hMqQAia13U7zoMmBCNEkiWnSQkwE9s3OgY34hkDj9C2liUCoHDtnZ/s1600/Fallen+Rider.jpg" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The author with the Man Down photograph.</td></tr>
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<br />Old Gunkie in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09361207827364887045noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3549621648467760514.post-75392033484160585102014-06-06T13:18:00.002-06:002014-06-06T13:21:17.463-06:00Swing the Fly - The Voice of Spey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.swingthefly.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioEQVjZzKLNiPUzDvXf_KEaCuOk6t3wvFEHeZvtPILD-ZN_cdGsmjNZKENKjz2VPDtsySTHqqANvnZCE-CbFjyVEojutrak5jwhOebZgze-dxOBxt_oRnMJwxHsYdUIQja4ltiJTJsywY_/s1600/swing+the+fly.jpg" height="400" width="296" /></a></div>
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Ran across this excellent (and free) online magazine today <a href="http://www.swingthefly.com/">http://www.swingthefly.com/</a>. Just plain honest, unpretentious talk about fishing long rods.Old Gunkie in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09361207827364887045noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3549621648467760514.post-28426271157159826902014-05-30T17:00:00.000-06:002014-05-30T20:54:17.027-06:00Eating Around / Le Pigeon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPNOYMJuzJJWXFuffK0vL64d-yo20jkmwMfXOmw_7SwWUaC7F5HHYQuVj2J43UX_8ebw2ydh9Y5Luz-9_YJIOADhACwFkCA00yHTcXXtbJy9NP-hWrdHU98_xaoGVfyZdTRfLnc2T0x2Ra/s1600/Gabriel+Rucker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPNOYMJuzJJWXFuffK0vL64d-yo20jkmwMfXOmw_7SwWUaC7F5HHYQuVj2J43UX_8ebw2ydh9Y5Luz-9_YJIOADhACwFkCA00yHTcXXtbJy9NP-hWrdHU98_xaoGVfyZdTRfLnc2T0x2Ra/s1600/Gabriel+Rucker.jpg" height="285" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chef Gabriel Rucker at Le Pigeon.</td></tr>
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Had a wonderful meal at Le Pigeon last night. Chef Gabriel Rucker was cooking and we sat at the bar giving us a birds eye view of preparations. Le Pigeon is perhaps my favorite restaurant in Portland.<br />
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I had the Pigeon starter which was served on a plate of cold blood sausage puree, with cipollini and shaved asparagus, sprinkled with egg yolk. It was rich a rich sauce and the pigeon breast was perfectly cooked medium rare. I quaffed down a good class of Coteaux du Languedoc -- Podio Alto -- Domaine du Poujol -- '09. For her starter, P had the Crab and Artichoke Toast with arugula and fried artichokes. She had a glass of Greek white wine, Roditis/Malagouzia - Petra - Kir-Yianni Estate - ‘12 Amyndeon. The crab toast was a bit uninspired, but the batter fried artichokes were amazing. We shared an entree of Corned Lamb Shoulder served on a bed of potato with cabbage cream, huckleberries and horseradish. I'd never heard of corned lamb but could immediately imagine it. I asked Gabriel about it. He said, "I had an idea. I'm not the first to make it and won't be the last." Like corned beef, the meat is brined for four days and then cooked sous vide for most of a day. To plate the dish they chopped a hunk of the corned lamb and sauteed it in a pan to heat it up. They sliced it, stacked it on top of the potatoes, sprinkled with huckleberries and shredded lots of fresh horseradish on top. The lamb was surprisingly ham like. It was a really unique dish, the kind of thing I expect at Pigeon. For dessert we shared a carafe of Stumptown coffee and a Crème Brûlée which also came with a Vietnamese coffee pot de crème with whipped cream, amaretti crumbs. I have no idea what made it Vietnamese, but it was excellent.<br />
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Gabriel Rucker has been nominated for, and has won, numerous awards from the James Beard Foundation, including: Rising Star Chef of the Year 2011, and the 2013 Best Chef in the Northwest. Thanks for another great meal.<br />
<br />Old Gunkie in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09361207827364887045noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3549621648467760514.post-81999581582797099192014-04-20T13:34:00.000-06:002014-05-31T08:48:57.930-06:00Blue Winged Olives on the Green<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">A Rainbow that took a Blackback WD.</td></tr>
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The springtime Blue Winged Olive (BWO) hatch on the Green River in Utah below Flaming Gorge Dam can be epic. It takes place in March-April and provides some of the best dry fly fishing in the Rocky Mountain west. After years of trying to catch the hatch - I finally did on Easter weekend April 19th and 20th. Brad could not go, Carlos could not go, Jeff could not go, nor could Mike go; so I went alone. Glad I did.<br />
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The thing about BWO's is that the hatch comes off <i>if </i>the weather gets rough. Rain or snow and a bit of wind brings on the hatch. A sunny day and the olives wait. I was lucky enough to get it all, rain, snow and wind. It's simply amazing to see the bugs start popping up to the surface like clockwork when the weather changes. And then the fish start rising, mostly in the back eddies and along the banks where the duns float lazily waiting for their new wings to dry. If you watch carefully, you notice a single rise, and then a few more. Before long, you're tying on a dry fly watching pod of a dozen or more rising fish in the clear clear water.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Blue Winged Olive dun - nicely matched by a size 18 parachute dry.</td></tr>
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On Saturday April 19th I floated the "A" section of the river. It extends from the dam, 8 miles downstream to Little Hole. Though I've fished the Green many times, I'd never floated it before. The raft is a relatively new addition to my fishing arsenal and I floated it "alone" never out of sight of three to five other boats. On Sunday I hoped to float the "B" section, but the shuttle is expensive and it adds at least an hour to the drive home so I hiked downstream from Little Hole and fished my way back up.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1ZpGUraLaCPP_47urDMU9qpJz2jOgriJWnd5Cr-yeacSq7OCU3wJnck0A-JkiDcIpwrfu76UEbE17qOHWzOwYZLVQnZp3_w6hUveyOM9LVuTK6WmW88yyhZjZ-GqI9947cHGyBZci1xg/s1600/Green_brown_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1ZpGUraLaCPP_47urDMU9qpJz2jOgriJWnd5Cr-yeacSq7OCU3wJnck0A-JkiDcIpwrfu76UEbE17qOHWzOwYZLVQnZp3_w6hUveyOM9LVuTK6WmW88yyhZjZ-GqI9947cHGyBZci1xg/s1600/Green_brown_02.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nice brown 18" that took a BWO dry in shallow water - perfectly hooked in the neb.</td></tr>
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On both days I spent the morning throwing nymphs and wets and did very well. The water near the dam is colder and there is less BWO activity in that section. More rainbows than browns in that upper section. I fished <a href="http://oldgunkie.blogspot.com/2014/04/winged-wets.html" target="_blank">classic style winged wets</a> on the dropper and a <a href="http://oldgunkie.blogspot.com/2013/05/a-day-on-green.html" target="_blank">Black Back Wet Dream</a> on the point. The BBWD took lots of rainbows in the first couple of miles below the dam. As I got downstream, the winged wets started taking more fish - and the takes on that fly were aggressive. In one deep run I had a violent thumping take, and was broken off - perhaps the best fish of the day.<br />
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On both days, by late morning, the weather kicked up and the olives started coming off which meant re-rigging to throw a dry fly. Its been so long since I did any real dry fly fishing it's hard to relate how much fun it is, especially in the clear clear water of the Green. What I mean by "real dry fly fishing" is fishing to a mayfly hatch, not throwing monstrous foam terrestrials or midges. The BWO's are small, but not tiny, a solid size 18 is a good match for the hatch. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nice brown that took the dry fly from my raft anchored in the current.</td></tr>
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I started fly fishing when I was a graduate student at Cornell. There is a popular bumper sticker in the area that says "Ithaca is Gorges". It's a great place to learn to fly fish with many streams flowing down into Cayuga lake. They support terrific runs of landlocked salmon, spawning browns in the fall, and rainbows in the spring. After building competency in basic skills (including a fly tying course offered through Cornell and taught by Lee Multari) I started driving south to fish the Delaware, the Beaverkill, and the Willowemoc. Hallowed waters in the history of American fly fishing. These rivers and streams support <a href="http://thedelawareriverclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Hatch-Chart2.jpg" target="_blank">prolific hatches</a>, from early spring until fall, and it was there I learned the practice of fishing the dry fly. </div>
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Walking back toward Little Hole on Sunday, the weather got bad and the hatch came off again. I was fishing the pool at the base of a wide riffle when I noticed three or four excellent fish feeding on Baetis duns in water so shallow their backs were frequently exposed. I tied on a dry and on the third or fourth cast was into a beautiful fish hooked perfectly in the neb. It was getting late and so I headed back to the truck for the long drive home. I was happy with y success and what better way to end the day. </div>
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As I walked upstream I met two young anglers frantically fishing to a pod of fifteen or more fish greedily feeding on the surface. The two young anglers had been there for more than an hour, unable to hook-up. They were throwing size 18 BWO dries. I gave them some advice and headed on, and as I moved further upstream I found a similar pod of fish and decided to try for them. Try as I might, I could not get them to take the dry fly that had just been so successful! I switched flies, eventually trying every fly in my box that remotely resembled the BWO duns so obviously floating on the surface. Nothing worked. Eventually, I tied on a size 16 parachute sulphur, a fly that was clearly not a good match. Inexplicably, I hooked up right away. After that fish, with a long drive ahead of me, I headed back upstream to the truck. As I walked the bank I was engulfed in a flight of spinners. If I'd had more time I would haves tested my new theory,<i> i.e.</i>, that the fish were taking spinners and not the duns. The ginger hackle on the larger sulphur pattern that had proved successful was a near perfect match for the wings of a spent spinner. A masking hatch, not the first time I've run into one, and always a revelation to realize what is really happening.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final fish of the day that was feeding on spinners.</td></tr>
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<br />Old Gunkie in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09361207827364887045noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3549621648467760514.post-78527736092873205152014-04-12T20:29:00.000-06:002014-04-13T18:32:57.607-06:00Winged Wets "It has been advanced as an argument against the use of the wet fly, that duns and other small insects which drift drift down upon the surface of a stream are never seen by the fish underwater, and that a wet fly is therefore an unnatural object, especially if winged. 'Never' is a big word and I venture to think the case is overstated. I have watched an eddy with little swirling whirlpools in it for an hour together, and again and again I have seen little groups of flies caught in one or other of the whirls, sucked under and thrown scatterwise through the water, to drift some distance before reaching the surface." <br /><div style="text-align: right;">
<i>Minor Tactics of the Chalk Stream Angler and Kindred Studies</i>, G.E.M. Skues, 1910</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plate from W.-C.-Stewart's book <i>The Practical Angler.</i> </td></tr>
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The winged wet fly is only uncommonly found in a modern fisherman's fly box. In the 1950's and early 60's they were standards, but today they are essentially gone. G.E.M. Skues developed modern upstream wet fly fishing techniques for English chalk streams and accompanying patterns in the early part of the last century. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalk_stream" target="_blank">Chalk streams</a> provide notoriously technical fishing because of the clarity of the water. They provide an ideal environment that produces abundant insect life and hence large trout. The Scottish fisherman and writer W. C. Stewart anticipated Skues by more than 50 years, in 1857 he published his book <i>The Practical Angler -or- The Art of Trout-Fishing More Particularly Applied to Clear Water. </i>I find it astounding to think that Stewart's book was written before the Civil War. Stewart's book reads as an exceptionally modern account of fishing upstream with the wet fly.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">W.C. Stewart and his mentor James Ballie</td></tr>
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Years ago I managed to find a fifth edition of the book published in London in 1907 by Adam and Charles Black. A.C. Black published many of the classic British fly fishing books including Skues' books. Stewart is famous for his "spiders" which are the ancestors of modern soft hackles. The plates in my copy of his book [photo above] also show many winged wets.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some Stewart inspired winged wets for the BWO hatch.</td></tr>
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I am tying some flies in anticipation of a trip to the Green below Flaming Gorge reservoir next weekend. We're hoping to catch the famous BWO hatch. Inspired by winged flies of Stewart and Skues I have tied a few winged wets. Stewart's stream flies do not typically sport tails while his loch flies do. It may be presumptuous to publish my pattern here before I test it - but here it is.<br />
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<u style="font-style: italic;">BWO Winged Wet</u><br />
<i> Hook: size 16-18 Dai-Riki #135</i><br />
<i> Thread: brown olive thread</i><br />
<i> Body: Golden Olive SLF squirrel spikey dubbing</i><br />
<i> Tail: a few fibers from a Wood Duck flank feather</i><br />
<i> Wing: light gray tips of Blue Grouse tail feather.</i></blockquote>
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Old Gunkie in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09361207827364887045noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3549621648467760514.post-48330144103701988592014-04-05T23:00:00.000-06:002014-04-06T20:28:52.053-06:00Trout Fishing in America Terrorists<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"One of us had a piece of chalk and as a first-grader went walking by, the one of us absentmindedly wrote 'Trout Fishing in America' on the back of the first-grader." ... "We watched the first-grader walk away with 'Trout Fishing in America' written on his back.It looked good and seemed quite natural and pleasing to the eye that a first-grader should have 'Trout Fishing in America' written in chalk on his back." </blockquote>
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<i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Richard-Brautigans-Springhill-Disaster-Watermelon/dp/0395500761" target="_blank">Trout Fishing in America</a></i>, 1967 Richard Brautigan<span style="text-align: right;"> </span></blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Portrait of a trout No.1</td></tr>
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The rainbow spawning orgy is still underway on the North Platte. Jeff, Brad and I fished from about noon until 5PM. The fish eagerly gobbled size 20 or 22 WD40's and a size 18 red midge larva all day long. The mob chucking eggs had far less luck than we did. Of course, there are eggs being dropped by the hens, but the eggs were just not as effective today as the midge patterns. When an egg pattern finally did prove successful to the downstream group, I overheard excited hollering from the group on the opposite side of the river "Was it one of the ones with a red dot?" This would seem to be the fine point of egg pattern fishing; red dot or no?<br />
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When we pulled up I talked to a fisherman eating lunch by his truck wearing Colorado plates. I asked him what they were taking - he said that the fishing was tough - so I asked him what they weren't taking. He replied, "Bacon and eggs." A rig consisting of a San Juan worm dropper with an egg on the point. This is the standard recommendation from the flyshops to the tourists. It does catch some fish, but this is the standard recommendation largely because so many people just don't believe the small flies will work or they think they won't be able to tie them on. Carry a cheap pair of reading glasses if you must. To me, an inveterate tailwater fisherman, a size 18 is looks huge a size 20 seems standard. Size 24's are small.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Portrait of a trout No.2</td></tr>
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<b>On technique:</b> A good dead drift can only be beat by a dead drift augmented with the occasional twitch. Most of my takes were on the twitch. After I showed Jeff the technique he started hooking up consistently. Cast upstream and across. Keep mending line upstream to establish a good drift. Once the fly is down and the drift is perfect - give the rod the a wiggle and a slight lift to move the fly in the water, halting the drift for just an instant, before lowering the rod and resuming the drift again. This is the old Leisenring lift scaled to midge fishing. The WD40, with it's oversized hares ear thorax, is an emerger pattern and the fish are keyed into the upward movement of the emerging insect. It's a wonderful BWO pattern, but I've found it to be very effective when the midges are hatching. Many patterns go by the name WD40 (just do a google image search to see them) - the real ones look like Ed Engle's pattern (on page 86) in his book <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tying-Small-Flies-Ed-Engle/dp/0811700828" target="_blank">Tying Small Flies.</a></i><br />
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I watched many of the fishermen (and women) on the river expending huge effort false casting. You can spot the experienced fishermen because they keep their flies in the water more than they do in the air. Often, false casting is just unnecessary. It takes practice to develop a well timed crisp casting stroke, but it is far more effective than the long arm full body casts so many resort to when trying to get a few feet farther out.<br />
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Another mistake I saw throughout much of the day was that folks tend to wade right out into the best water. Of course this is partially related to poor casting skills - you spot a fish and can't quite get your fly out to it - so you wade a little deeper. But often, in response, the fish will just move a bit deeper into the run. So you wade a bit deeper still. Very quickly, you're standing waist deep in the middle of the run. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bradwatsonfiction.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Brad Watson</a> with a beautifully spotted fish that took the red midge larva.</td></tr>
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The river was crowded and I started by moving into an inauspicious looking open slot thirty yards downstream from the next man. I intended to cross the river to fish the less crowded side but I ended up fishing my short beat all day. I lost count of how many fish I hooked but I counted 17 landed. All the ones I landed were cleanly hooked in the mouth and released as quickly as possible. On the way home Jeff read the regs and we realized we could have kept six fish apiece. Had we done so - it might well have caused a riot ... and I would have had to buy finally spring for a smoker. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jeff with a fish that took on the twitch.</td></tr>
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<br />Old Gunkie in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09361207827364887045noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3549621648467760514.post-80047188723572943822014-03-08T19:26:00.000-07:002014-03-09T19:29:19.496-06:00Wind River Rainbow Orgy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAx-B_rLSozzTL71iuu7DiuX-7cVlYe0hVheZxw0I96o8rJMBOgbjjSbg8aK5-dTD4QaGSFjI9L6IRazFunyzTgZhNSlfNFUmg26NfVWNutcUaYF2tl_nWbcVc_hrNAFsORQaetADwsSF_/s1600/Wind_Rainbow_02.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAx-B_rLSozzTL71iuu7DiuX-7cVlYe0hVheZxw0I96o8rJMBOgbjjSbg8aK5-dTD4QaGSFjI9L6IRazFunyzTgZhNSlfNFUmg26NfVWNutcUaYF2tl_nWbcVc_hrNAFsORQaetADwsSF_/s1600/Wind_Rainbow_02.JPG" height="307" width="400" /></a></div>
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It's a wild orgy up on the Wind River these days; the rainbows are spawning. When I arrived there were two guys throwing egg patterns to the spawners on the beds. They eventually got bored shooting fish in a barrel and left as I was getting geared up. I won't fish to the spawners on their beds and so I drifted midge patterns through the deeper runs. This one, the only fish I caught in three hours, took a size 20 WD40.Old Gunkie in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09361207827364887045noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3549621648467760514.post-57630552732588181992014-02-26T18:44:00.000-07:002014-03-09T18:57:30.183-06:00Eating Around / Old Major<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3316 Tejon Street - a seemingly unlikely, mostly residential, neighborhood </td></tr>
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Portland ain't got nothing on <a href="http://oldmajordenver.com/" target="_blank">Old Major</a> in Denver. I first read about the restaurant on Hank Shaw's<a href="http://honest-food.net/2013/09/01/duck-cookbook-tour-schedule/" target="_blank"> Honest Food blog</a>. It was one of his guest chef stops on his <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1607745291/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1607745291&linkCode=as2&tag=hunanggarcoo-20" target="_blank">Duck, Duck, Goose</a> book tour. I only saw that he was going to be there <i>after</i> he'd gone.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When I looked at the <a href="http://oldmajordenver.com/menus/" target="_blank">menus</a> I was sold.</td></tr>
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I stopped in one evening around 5:00 or so and ate at the bar. By 5:30 or so the place started filling up, on a Wednesday evening no less. To start, I had a half a dozen oysters on the half shell. During happy hour they're $2 a piece. I drank a glass of the house Chardonnay with the oysters; the house wines are made by<a href="http://theinfinitemonkeytheorem.com/" target="_blank"> The Infinite Monkey Theorem</a> which is a Denver winery without a vineyard. I love the name (and the theorem) of the company, even if I didn't much care for their Chardonnay. I followed the oysters with a half an order of the <i>Port Shank Stroganoff </i>which is a stroganoff made with braised pork, hand made pappardelle, and foraged mushrooms. It was excellent and I drank a very nice glass of Pinot Noir with it. I'm not much of a desert person but the bartender, Raquel, convinced me to have the macaroon with the press pot of coffee I ordered. It was a rose/lemon macaroon and I was glad I'd listened to Raquel's recommendation. The pastry chef, Nadine Donovan, came to Old Major from <a href="http://oldgunkie.blogspot.com/2010/03/le-pigeon.html" target="_blank">Le Pigeon</a> and The Woodsman in Portland. Small world.<br />
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<a href="http://www.voiceplaces.com/denver-boulder/old-major-13253403-l" style="background-color: black; border: 0px; color: #3366cc; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Old Major</a></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">3316 Tejon Street</span></div>
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720-420-0622</div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><a href="http://www.oldmajordenver.com/" style="border: 0px; color: #3366cc; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://www.oldmajordenver.com/" style="border: 0px; color: #3366cc; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">oldmajordenver.com</a></span></div>
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<br />Old Gunkie in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09361207827364887045noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3549621648467760514.post-65004868305461564752013-12-25T11:14:00.000-07:002013-12-25T11:15:28.010-07:00Christmas Eve floating the Kalama<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Old Gunkie in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09361207827364887045noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3549621648467760514.post-24218474443880273582013-11-27T10:00:00.000-07:002013-12-04T12:39:23.192-07:00A Sportsman's Working Battery<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Guns and Gunning</i>, Captain Paul A. Curtis. Penn Publishing Co. 1934.</td></tr>
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The notion of a personal working battery for a sportsman is a favorite topic of unending debate among gun cranks. There is a lot of classic literature on both hunting rifles and on shotguns. On balance, the rifle literature tends to be American and much of the shotgun literature, though not all, is British. Classics authors writing about hunting rifles include (in alphabetical order) Carmichael, O'Connor, Keith, Taylor, and Whelen. There is a largely separate literature on shotguns by Boothroyd, Brister, Burrard, O'Connor, Keith, and others. Bodio's <i>Good Guns Again</i> straddles the classification by discussing both. <br />
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I first recall reading a specification for a personal battery in Curtis' book <i>Guns and Gunning</i>. This book is a favorite of mine though it is not often mentioned today - prices for used copies do not indicate it holds much collector value. Like reading Datus Proper's recommendation that a man should spend a months salary on his shotgun (I have not), Curtis's recommendations for an all-round battery gave me a kind of permission to think in a way I'd not have dared to before reading it.<br />
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Considering a battery (and not a collection) is a holistic view that remains surprisingly infrequently discussed in writing. The question answered by the consideration of the battery is just this: "What collection of firearms does a modern hunter need to participate in the various forms of hunting throughout the season?" Obviously the answer depends on what you hunt, where you live, if you travel to hunt and of course on personal tastes.<br />
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For the North American game hunter not planning to travel to Alaska or Africa, Curtis recommends the following minimal battery:<br />
<ul>
<li>Rifles: a small game rifle [.22 LR], .a varmint rifle [.22 Hornet], a general service rifle [.30-06]</li>
<li>Shotguns: an upland gun [20 GA double], for all round use [12 GA double], a duck gun [Magnum 12 bore or 10 bore]</li>
<li>Sidearms: A .22 revolver or automatic and a large frame revolver [.45 Colt or .44-40]</li>
</ul>
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If you are also a target shooter, Curtis provides the following additional recommendations:<br />
<ul>
<li style="text-align: left;">a heavy barreled .22 target rifle with telescopic sight</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">a Springfield National Match rifle [.30-06]</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">a trap gun [12 GA pump]</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">a target pistol [.22 single shot heavy frame with adjustable sights]</li>
</ul>
At the end of the chapter Curtis apologizes for the small size of the battery he's selected!<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Remember, I said in the beginning that my ideal battery must be limited to a few guns to meet satisfactorily many needs. When one's battery assumes the proportions of a collection, he perforce becomes a slave to its care and it ceases to be ideal."</blockquote>
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There's an old saying: "Beware the man with one gun." What is left unsaid is that he certainly knows how to shoot it well. An alternate approach to the question of a personal battery is based on a minimalist philosophy: a shotgun a rifle and perhaps a sidearm. After a lifetime of gun trading, Steve Bodio may have reached a kind of perfection in his (current) minimalist battery.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-aoOB70PJhHWDmsfb-h4aXBkFModiKXnmzXZxm5smCsgZp5lnLm58pLmhYsW8VrSesplhbSjDgN_YPLBsr9a8awZmF-lyx6kHLbaCzwmQD0glKYrURIhZMWnfpaGcB05i2UtzooYmknhT/s1600/Steve_mannlicher_scott_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-aoOB70PJhHWDmsfb-h4aXBkFModiKXnmzXZxm5smCsgZp5lnLm58pLmhYsW8VrSesplhbSjDgN_YPLBsr9a8awZmF-lyx6kHLbaCzwmQD0glKYrURIhZMWnfpaGcB05i2UtzooYmknhT/s400/Steve_mannlicher_scott_3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve with his small working battery.</td></tr>
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Steve has settled on his choices and, thankfully, brought them with him on his recent visit to show off to friends here in Laramie and surrounding environs.<br />
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Steve has a British sidelock 12 GA shotgun, a Mannlicher Schoenauer 1903 rifle and a Smith and Wesson model 629 in .44 Magnum. Not shown in the photos is a Smith and Wesson model 34 kit gun which is chambered for a .22LR. He of course has other firearms, but these are the ones he brought, and they form a kind of elegant minimalist working battery. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">F. C. Scott sidelock, 1903 Mannlicher Schoenauer and S&W .44 Mag. </td></tr>
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The Mannlicher is a model 1903 takedown chambered in 6.5x54 MS. It has the most elegant factory pop-up peep sight I have ever seen. The peep is articulated so that when the bolt is pulled back, it lowers into the tang of the stock and as the bolt is pushed back forward it pops back up. In photos (and I am kicking myself for not taking more of them) the mechanism looks like it might be flimsy, in person it is not - it is astoundingly robust. The rifle handles like a shotgun - notice the Prince of Wales grip. I was disappointed we did not get a chance to shoot while he was here.<br />
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The 6.5x54 is a very interesting cartridge. In fact, Curtis himself recommended the 6.5x54 specifically (with the Savage 250-3000 as an alternate) for the hunter who wanted to combine his varmint rifle with a rifle for medium sized game shooting. The 6.5 shoots heavy for caliber bullets at lower velocity. This translates to bullets with very high sectional density and thus exceptional penetration. The 6.5 Mannlicher was famously used (with 160 gr solids) by W. D. M. Bell to kill elephants. It is an outstanding deer and hog rifle and is not to be sneezed at for elk in the timber when shooting a 140 or 160 grain bullet. It is interesting that both Jack O'Connor and Elmer Keith agreed that it is an exceptional cartridge. John Taylor was less complimentary.<br />
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Steve took the Mannlicher (and the Scott) to show to the rifle maker <a href="http://www.nlheineke.com/location.htm" target="_blank">Nathan Heineke</a> here in Laramie. The rifle has been previously drilled for a side mounted scope and Steve is planning to have Nate put a Griffin and Howe side mount on the rifle. Nate worked as a gunsmith at Griffin & Howe in NJ for about 8 years and may well be the most qualified person in the country to do the work. The great thing about a G&H side mount is that the scope is guaranteed to return to zero and, it does not mess up the engraving on the front ring of the action. With a classic rifle I consider this to be an important feature. If the rifle had not previously been drilled and tapped for a side-mount it would be a shame to add it but, since it has, adding a side-mount it is more akin to a restoration.<br />
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Steve's choice of a <span style="text-align: center;">shotgun is an Birmingham made F. C. Scott sidelock in 12 GA with original 2 3/4" chambers. It was probably made in 1910. For British made guns of the period, 2 1/2" chambers were standard. Fredrick Scott was known for his pigeon guns and this may explain the non-standard chamber size. A description</span><span style="text-align: center;"> of the gun by Steve from an email:</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="text-align: center;">He (Frederick, called "Frank") was in business from 1904 to 1918 (some say 19). I think he made fewer than a thousand guns. The wood is really nice which doesn't show well-- may eventually refinish. LOP 14 1/2 or a little less to checkered butt; barrels 70 cm (continental--??), chokes 1/4 & F. balance on hinge pin. Slightly more pitch up than BL and slightly shorter, and weighs 6 1/2 instead of 6 1/4 so it took a little practice to mount as well but I find if I hold it on the barrel ahead of the forearm it points very well. I will probably disable the ejectors (remove springs?) because they are no use to me. I think it was all tightened up when re-proofed (for pigeon level loads -- 1 1/4 oz-- which I will NOT shoot). I think I will never get closer to a London gun. People who loved the AyA can see how superior it is even if they know nothing about guns (and it weighs exactly the same). </span></blockquote>
The Scott is a perfect upland game gun (good for NM quail) and will serve for the occasional duck.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">F. C. Scott ad from 1910.</td></tr>
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For handguns, Steve's S&W revolver in .44 Mag has the lightest single action trigger I've ever pulled. A pound? Steve assured us that it is a joy to shoot. He's outfitted both the .44 and the S&W model 34 kit gun with Hogue grips so, disregarding the heft, they have a similar feel in the hand.<br />
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At this point my personal battery is closer to Curtis's recommended selection than to Bodio's. I think I'd like to fix that, which of course means, more buying and selling which is half the fun. </div>
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Old Gunkie in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09361207827364887045noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3549621648467760514.post-14494748884660915612013-11-17T12:48:00.001-07:002013-11-17T12:48:48.526-07:00Fall 2013 Deer & Elk Season<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Four cow elk silhouetted on the skyline. [photo: copyright Mike Dunn 2006]</td></tr>
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There's meat in the freezer, but there the 2013 season has been a bit of a bust for me. I was only able to spent a total of about four or five days hunting and really had no success. I killed a grouse in thick cover on a great left to right crossing shot, it tumbled to the ground, feathers flying, but I never found the bird, only feathers. I misidentified what turned out to be a very nice whitetail buck as a doe, until it was too late for a shot. I never got a shot at an elk - though Brad cleanly killed one of the four I spotted driving out at dusk.<br />
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Elk populations are up and the seasons this year was more liberal than they've been since I moved to Wyoming fifteen years ago. Mule deer are another matter. The populations have been declining for years now and those declines are finally reflected in the hunting regulations. The general season in local areas here were open less than a week with a bucks only rule, at least three points on one side. I almost passed on even buying a license and in the end I was only able to get out for one afternoon and had no success.<br />
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Brad will be surprised by the image at the top because it is almost exactly the image we saw driving out after a long day hunting elk on foot. In Wyoming, you can shoot a 1/2 hour before and after sunset. I spotted four cow elk and within a minute of the end of legal shooting time. They stood there perfectly silhouetted against the skyline. It was dark enough that the stars were clearly visible. Brad got out of the truck with his .270 and I rolled forward, keeping the engine running. The elk calmly watched the truck, certainly believing they were safely cloaked in darkness. They were close, about 80 yards, but it was a very steep 80 yards uphill. Brad made a perfect heart shot on the leftmost of the four and she went down within 10 yards of where the bullet hit her. We were able to gralloch her on the spot and to roll her onto the orange plastic toboggan I use for hauling meat. The hillside was steep enough that with some backbreaking pulling and lifting, we were able to lower her right down into the back of the pickup. We were back at the house within an hour and a half of the shot. We quartered her and the meat was hung for a week before we spent a day butchering. </div>
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Old Gunkie in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09361207827364887045noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3549621648467760514.post-54940685478046111892013-11-02T17:30:00.001-06:002013-11-17T10:52:03.776-07:00Steve & Libby Bodio and Montana writer Malcolm Brooks<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS2GWMRfXK0H-AXHhcZXQmus3_gtsQe5kO4YJjMMJX12GK2_g4rGDh6KHJKDjgWRjOcvmIKJj6EYEeIr26flEPVUUie9yPbR0KCi6PevSQUXYc_1loCWpOLvtyqOhOCzQFFbkRvAU35QR6/s1600/Bodio_brooks_151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS2GWMRfXK0H-AXHhcZXQmus3_gtsQe5kO4YJjMMJX12GK2_g4rGDh6KHJKDjgWRjOcvmIKJj6EYEeIr26flEPVUUie9yPbR0KCi6PevSQUXYc_1loCWpOLvtyqOhOCzQFFbkRvAU35QR6/s400/Bodio_brooks_151.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve, Jim and Malcolm.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... and Ataika and Erdos.</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXkWvtWJWXTbVZdvMUV9SwUXmqfdPguQyMAmej8-73l_p4H5nhRVIt-eeivxL4YonIZzTjCh40f2uDnqZtZCAaS17zCUkkE72VZPC67bxiLlNX2mjzOJ-R3Q9qIyHIql6w2IO0CUzWMnG/s1600/Bodio_Brooks_25.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXkWvtWJWXTbVZdvMUV9SwUXmqfdPguQyMAmej8-73l_p4H5nhRVIt-eeivxL4YonIZzTjCh40f2uDnqZtZCAaS17zCUkkE72VZPC67bxiLlNX2mjzOJ-R3Q9qIyHIql6w2IO0CUzWMnG/s400/Bodio_Brooks_25.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Penelope and Libby.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Libby, Steve, Malcolm and Penelope.</td></tr>
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<br />Old Gunkie in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09361207827364887045noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3549621648467760514.post-46677874194967451262013-07-27T23:30:00.000-06:002013-11-17T13:55:19.896-07:00A good day on the North Fork of the Stillaguamish <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRNQSZb3AYzHe1yJtSMM482tBhHIFxgQTL9RjMdquibqNP2pajfVJqmj5d9e_Yvzsg0ggZv_Q_y5bFchJ2hPwZed0LYqc2F7c5RhliW_2XD7RU9OWO-ZL_2SBcqn_C0MbaQtxnETRbjp61/s1600/Stillaguamish_06.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRNQSZb3AYzHe1yJtSMM482tBhHIFxgQTL9RjMdquibqNP2pajfVJqmj5d9e_Yvzsg0ggZv_Q_y5bFchJ2hPwZed0LYqc2F7c5RhliW_2XD7RU9OWO-ZL_2SBcqn_C0MbaQtxnETRbjp61/s400/Stillaguamish_06.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Steelhead - caught on the swing.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Q3tyWD_tvkHR9wOwGH69jwLnS6R9GUp0eFk4lATKmDeR8NCuE2OstQxceiYLglED8gjKPD16qmt4_1qK1zCRP1jb0nOjmsbWyUmsPekEOMJXzkP9CTnEFdCGB52d0HhKIUlSUO2aUSZ8/s1600/Stillaguamish_14.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Q3tyWD_tvkHR9wOwGH69jwLnS6R9GUp0eFk4lATKmDeR8NCuE2OstQxceiYLglED8gjKPD16qmt4_1qK1zCRP1jb0nOjmsbWyUmsPekEOMJXzkP9CTnEFdCGB52d0HhKIUlSUO2aUSZ8/s400/Stillaguamish_14.JPG" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dolly Varden - a new species for me.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8QWk-xAg6Ge-19rgNqpRiVPyRG_EHVjphY8CTTh5jgoG6TmyMidVsQBCNRg8BHo2VpfOIAK6LYUNkxK3T3YY_g0w5Md4fmSYYVS-nWGszz679y9mUY805B6h3ls2tT34KmaIVOzgeUQcI/s1600/Stillaguamish_18.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8QWk-xAg6Ge-19rgNqpRiVPyRG_EHVjphY8CTTh5jgoG6TmyMidVsQBCNRg8BHo2VpfOIAK6LYUNkxK3T3YY_g0w5Md4fmSYYVS-nWGszz679y9mUY805B6h3ls2tT34KmaIVOzgeUQcI/s400/Stillaguamish_18.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">G with a nice Dolly.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGkj_WyIyONFJQZQS4NTtQLgtDa27nalebwV1hdGd6d0cywWy8ILz1JGJvRmOms90XUVlL9CRgFqpKkegLEG2J_hcc5Lk8YwNH2Iv3KbPHfoKSpy80dkYtGYt-ErOWJADu2XUdOQ9sz0NH/s1600/Stillaguamish_30.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGkj_WyIyONFJQZQS4NTtQLgtDa27nalebwV1hdGd6d0cywWy8ILz1JGJvRmOms90XUVlL9CRgFqpKkegLEG2J_hcc5Lk8YwNH2Iv3KbPHfoKSpy80dkYtGYt-ErOWJADu2XUdOQ9sz0NH/s400/Stillaguamish_30.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second steelhead on the swing - same day. Sparsely tied purple and black Intruder.</td></tr>
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Old Gunkie in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09361207827364887045noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3549621648467760514.post-23235040077025697522013-07-18T23:30:00.000-06:002013-11-17T13:54:42.189-07:00Eating Around / Little Bird Bistro (Petit Oiseau)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR84Gsyxo3pGG7hH9QnrMz-5lStHG7-6s6ibaDtpwVYEnp_dKM3V4ajpRriftKXaJ7Mi8e4qgNoWDSBXMXZSHipw0xFvPiAsO1rq007otdpx92QsZv7ADzC7DuymBHLvgmPhHlgpRqkqUR/s1600/Little+Bird+kitchen+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR84Gsyxo3pGG7hH9QnrMz-5lStHG7-6s6ibaDtpwVYEnp_dKM3V4ajpRriftKXaJ7Mi8e4qgNoWDSBXMXZSHipw0xFvPiAsO1rq007otdpx92QsZv7ADzC7DuymBHLvgmPhHlgpRqkqUR/s400/Little+Bird+kitchen+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caribou rack over the entrance to the kitchen at Little Bird Bistro.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://littlebirdbistro.com/" target="_blank">Little Bird Bistro</a> is the sister restaurant to Gabriel Rucker's <a href="http://oldgunkie.blogspot.com/2010/03/le-pigeon.html" target="_blank">Le Pigeon</a> run by head Chef Eric Van Kley. We had an enjoyable meal there last evening with family and friend. The menu is French Bistro with a decidely Portland style. Everything we had was very tasty - some dishes better than others. The selection of bottled wines is lacking on the low end. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daily chalk board specials.</td></tr>
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Started with a bottle of Chablis (1er. Cru Mont de Milieu, Jean-Pierre Grossot, ‘05) which I thought was good though not exceptional. I shared a dozen raw oysters; Kusshi's from British Colombia and Netarts harvested on the Oregon coast. The Kusshi's are more delicate, firmer in texture, and carry a bit less oceany flavor than the Netarts. Both were excellent. Others in the party had the Goat Cheese Gnocchi, with roasted lamb neck, peppers, and mint - and they enjoyed it immensely. Gnocchi is always a favorite.<br />
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For the second round of small plates I ordered the sweet breads and we also ordered the<i> Marrow Bones with Chorizo, and Calamari, oregano, pickled chilies and black flat-bread</i>. Everyone enjoyed the marrow bones immensely. The black flat bread was dyed black with squid ink! The sweet breads were described on the menu as follows: <i>Crispy Veal Sweetbreads, carrot purée, roasted carrots, curried crème fraîche - </i>they had a kind of peppery coleslaw on top that was a bit strong for the delicate sweet breads. The curried creme fraiche was something I never would have thought of myself - very good. By then we'd switched to a red Rhone, <i>Crozes Hermitage, Domaine des Martinelles, ‘09. </i>This one was, I thought, better than the Chablis. Rich texture, deep berry flavors and peppery.<br />
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For an entree I ordered the<i> Pan Roasted Duck Breast, deviled duck heart & egg salad, paprika toast, dijon vin. </i>When I kill a game bird or duck, the hearts and livers are always eaten the same day. Thinking back, I do not recall getting the heart on my plate. The duck was perfectly cooked, but the dish was rather plain and not terribly exciting. Someone at our table ordered the <i>Sherry-Glazed Pork Shoulder,roasted corn, fingerlings, manchego, padrón peppers </i>which may have been the best entree we tasted. Someone else had the <i>Cassoulet of duck leg, pork belly, sausage & white beans </i>which everybody liked. C and P shared <i>Fennel Sausage, fallen soufflé, parmesan, pepper jam </i>which was good, but not really memorable.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">G came directly from work and still had his flight uniform on.</td></tr>
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If I had to compare to other meals I've eaten in the past few years in Portland, I think I go back to Pigeon before I returned to Petit Oiseau. I somehow prefer the atmosphere and space at <a href="http://oldgunkie.blogspot.com/2010/03/le-pigeon.html" target="_blank">Pigeon</a>. The Pigeon menu was just as interesting there and, in my memory, the food was perhaps better prepared. <br />
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Eating a meal like this is a luxury few can afford and we count ourselves very lucky indeed to be able to do so once in a while. From a practical point of view, I do it for the chance to get a taste of foods I can not, or have not, tried to cook at home. But really it's just plain fun to share a special meal with family and friends.</div>
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<br />Old Gunkie in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09361207827364887045noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3549621648467760514.post-9258831299848868492013-07-07T17:23:00.000-06:002013-07-07T20:19:25.541-06:00North Platte, Wind River, Big Horn<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXzu7qGLNxo-4y0t2AcOHcy7y60pWfaqjfRA7OPyaFl7lwpdJlB2iYPcwEtxV5Oz5IaVoJ9XVM2qSZMy4s-yjHHT4hMOPRK19Q_qXOamlgzX7x9MR7k2dLXW_Kt2g7apoqKJJMrllg7feY/s1600/NPlatte_D2_11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXzu7qGLNxo-4y0t2AcOHcy7y60pWfaqjfRA7OPyaFl7lwpdJlB2iYPcwEtxV5Oz5IaVoJ9XVM2qSZMy4s-yjHHT4hMOPRK19Q_qXOamlgzX7x9MR7k2dLXW_Kt2g7apoqKJJMrllg7feY/s400/NPlatte_D2_11.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gerry fishing on the North Platte upstream from the raft.</td></tr>
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<b>Synopsis</b>: Spent a week fishing with <a href="http://gerardcox.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Gerry Cox</a>. We started with a day and a half on the North Platte river at Gray Reef. Wade fished the dam the first day and floated from the dam to Lusby the second. We stayed at <a href="http://www.sloanesinalcova.com/lodging.htm" target="_blank">Sloan's cabins</a> in Alcova. From there we drove <a href="http://www.overlandjournal.com/overlanding/" target="_blank">overland</a> through the Rattlesnake Hills to the Wind River at Boysen State Park. That was about 60 miles of dirt through some rather beautiful sage country. We wade fished the Wind in Boysen State Park for the afternoon and into the evening catching many large rainbows (18" to 24") on size 18 caddis. We probably should never have left Boysen. We drove north, spending the night at the <a href="http://www.historichotelgreybull.com/" target="_blank">Greybull Historic Hotel</a> (which I can recommend should you <span style="font-family: inherit;">happen to pass through Greybull WY.) Continued north, over the Big Horns and up into Montana. We did a quick tour</span> of the Little Bighorn Battlefield and then to Fort Smith on the Big Horn below the Yellowtail damn. Stayed in a small but very new and clean room at the <a href="http://www.bighornangler.com/" target="_blank">Bighorn Angler</a>. It was an unbearable 98<span style="background-color: black; color: #f3f3f3; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;">°</span>F and we waited until almost 5PM to wade fish at the three mile access - and it was still brutally hot with icy water at about 47<span style="background-color: black; color: #f3f3f3; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;">°</span>F. On the fourth of July we <a href="http://www.cottonwoodcampbighorn.com/images/BigHorn_Map--Best.pdf" target="_blank">floated the Big Horn</a> from Afterbay below the dam to 13 mile takeout at Bighorn. The final day we floated the three miles from the Afterbay to the three mile takeout. The fishing on the Big Horn was difficult and the average fish is nowhere near the size they were fifteen years ago, and we were not the only ones saying so. We left Fort Smith at 2PM and were at home, sitting on the couch sipping bourbon, a bit after 9PM.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho2HJpnw6ef8lrm5kZlNnX177IXRvl_DCPRhawGO1v4FIH6i965PH6yV9L8bvI8zS5SlzII5aVfP9SClbB6o1dytJXITtrITmE_gr7unvzXlETgXU_74YJg4IGRAhK8iDwic1qTKlSLzvV/s1600/NPlatte00.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho2HJpnw6ef8lrm5kZlNnX177IXRvl_DCPRhawGO1v4FIH6i965PH6yV9L8bvI8zS5SlzII5aVfP9SClbB6o1dytJXITtrITmE_gr7unvzXlETgXU_74YJg4IGRAhK8iDwic1qTKlSLzvV/s400/NPlatte00.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gerry with a nice North Platte rainbow.</td></tr>
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<b>Dates - </b>30 June 2013 to 5 July 2013<br />
<b>Miles Driven:</b> 1042<br />
<b>Miles Floated: </b>24 - Grey Reef to Lusby (8), Afterbay to Bighorn (13), Afterbay to Three Mile (3)<br />
<b>Longest Overland: </b>42.5 of dirt (Dry Creek Rd. Alcova WY to Gas Hills Rd. Riverton WY)<br />
<b>Best Sleep:</b> <a href="http://www.historichotelgreybull.com/" target="_blank">Greybull Historic Hotel</a>, Greybull, WY<br />
<b>Best Meal:</b> Pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw, <a href="http://www.upinsmokebuffalowy.com/" target="_blank">Up in Smoke BBQ</a>, Buffalo WY<br />
<b>Weirdest Meal: </b>Subway, Garryowen MT<br />
<b>Biggest Fish:</b> 25" Rainbow - Wind River, Boysen State Park, Shoshoni WY<br />
<b>Coldest Water:</b> 47<span style="background-color: black; color: #f3f3f3; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;">°</span>F - Big Horn River, Fort Smith, MT<br />
<b>Warmest Water: </b>66<span style="background-color: black; color: #f3f3f3; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;">°</span>F - Wind River, Boysen State Park, Shononi WY<br />
<b>Hottest Air Temp: </b>98<span style="background-color: black; color: #f3f3f3; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;">°</span>F - July 3rd, Fort Smith, MT<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEq-mQRuQEXtkYwQ8IRt87gDDdvfKq5illx93OgJ6i9ZDSqHwkPPaxZpMHISFL3adNa17gdz1wEYENW6WCPn1jZWHeK7tplzbA9r1pR1HbaZXn0QTrigAr6pxrIXf7_g0ubEhdZIdTBuS5/s1600/Wind_D1_24.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEq-mQRuQEXtkYwQ8IRt87gDDdvfKq5illx93OgJ6i9ZDSqHwkPPaxZpMHISFL3adNa17gdz1wEYENW6WCPn1jZWHeK7tplzbA9r1pR1HbaZXn0QTrigAr6pxrIXf7_g0ubEhdZIdTBuS5/s400/Wind_D1_24.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wind River cutthroat - over 18"</td></tr>
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<br />Old Gunkie in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09361207827364887045noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3549621648467760514.post-66629082706975932422013-06-30T08:33:00.000-06:002013-07-06T17:11:48.523-06:00On Sighting In<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container tr_bq" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJwlKqRv3XBJdO6JpPBWbeL2TkVvIJSQXtfT-n4ENLGHXGgyEFUrxr7R8x612varqAkMl_tzRQtnmVGpXOKSzdWtYxmsCLMEHkW9-v0lDlhM0tWdgXuB4MeI-aRx1UXVUGO3wuY32fae1e/s1200/Sighting_in_07_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJwlKqRv3XBJdO6JpPBWbeL2TkVvIJSQXtfT-n4ENLGHXGgyEFUrxr7R8x612varqAkMl_tzRQtnmVGpXOKSzdWtYxmsCLMEHkW9-v0lDlhM0tWdgXuB4MeI-aRx1UXVUGO3wuY32fae1e/s400/Sighting_in_07_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gerry sighting-in for elk season 9/29/10</td></tr>
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Here's a really nice account of the procedure for mounting a scope and sighting in a rifle from friend <a href="http://gerardcox.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Gerry</a>.<br />
<blockquote>
<span style="background-color: black; color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Ask 3 people what you need to mount a scope and you'll get at least 3 answers. This is my take on it; others may disagree.</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">Dunk the scope in hot water and see if any bubbles come up. If not, it's waterproof. Sigh with relief.</span><br style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;" /><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">If you buy a decent quality gun and decent quality mounts, they probably will be aligned, so you won't need a lapping rod. Alignment rods are sort of fun, but align them both ways, point to point and butt to butt. A torque wrench is nice (I bought a Weaver one on sale), but if you just turn the scope screws tight with no more than thumb and finger, you don't really need one. If you do decide you can't live w/o one, do find out what torque the manufacturer of that mount recommends.</span><br style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;" /><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">I don't own a collimator, as most of my rifles are bolt actions (and I'm cheap). My procedure is to center the reticule (very imp if a used scope; new Leupolds are typically centered*). If you cut V notches in a cardboard carton, place the rifle in them, and remove the bolt, you can boresight the target. Adjust the elevation and windage until the crosshairs are on target. Test fire. Holding the rifle steady and aiming at the bullseye again, move crosshairs until they are on the bullet hole. Test fire again. You should be close to point of aim. Tweak until you're happy. This will work with a No. 1: just be sure to have the rifle high enough that you can drop the lever to see through the bore. I often start at 50 yards to get on paper, then move to 100.</span><br style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;" /><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">*Centering: Turn a knob all the way until it stops. Now turn it back all the way, counting the number of clicks. Take half that number and turn it back; it's centered. Now do the same for the other knob.</span><br style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;" /><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">As you're hunting, not trying for a benchrest record, there's no particular reason to try various brands of ammo. Sight in the Federals and use them. If you can get a 1.5" group at 100 yards, you should be fine. Start with a clean dry barrel. Some barrels throw the first shot from a clean barrel, then group nicely; if you have one of those, hunt with a fouled barrel. Keep a journal each time you test or shoot for practice: temp., wind, ammo, group sizes, etc.</span><br style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;" /><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">And remember, this is supposed to be fun.</span></span></blockquote>
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Gerry and I are off to fish the N. Platte and the Bighorn for a week.Old Gunkie in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09361207827364887045noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3549621648467760514.post-17846659952737801522013-06-05T21:46:00.001-06:002013-06-05T21:46:26.144-06:00A Sportsman's Library<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8V2943hTprRN6JD2InIvdjaD4i2qZ7dlJfgLXLYNz8B5lWHx0sJQuuiCsSW-pBtz3YEM83tASFPev04O8PXhyphenhyphenZsz_ewE4A7B1a0xez3rPPGR0h1AcY1cMU6jCw78NhdARa8iyiFntAeM/s1600/Bodio_book_o_books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8V2943hTprRN6JD2InIvdjaD4i2qZ7dlJfgLXLYNz8B5lWHx0sJQuuiCsSW-pBtz3YEM83tASFPev04O8PXhyphenhyphenZsz_ewE4A7B1a0xez3rPPGR0h1AcY1cMU6jCw78NhdARa8iyiFntAeM/s400/Bodio_book_o_books.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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Steve Bodio's newest book is out, and it's great. It is an erudite, idiosyncratic, personal catalog of one hundred sporting titles. At 256 + xvi pages, each title gets, on average, an 2.56 page description. And what descriptions they are, one chapter for each of the hundred books. Each description contains information on the author, a gloss of the content of the book and and Steve's reasons for including the book among among the hundred. He knows many of the living authors and that comes through in personal anecdotes about them.<br />
Steve manages to pull together so many cultural and literary threads it's hard to imagine how he keeps them all in his head.<br />
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I was lucky enough to have been sent a preprint back in November - but I just got my bound copy today. Aside from the pleasure of having a properly bound copy to hold in my hand, what I had not seen, was Malcolm Brooks' blurb on the back which is truly excellent.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<i>"Nobody who loves traditional blood sport wants it's long literary line totally obfuscated by faux-gonzo, Wang-dang Nugents and gear-hawking carny barkers of cartoonish hunting shows. Steve Bodio brings his formidable powers as both reader and writer to the cause, gifting us with a guide to the greats as varied, as magical, and yes, as essential as the works he champions." -- Malcolm Brooks, author of Painted Horses</i><i> </i></blockquote>
When a pre-print arrived in my inbox I printed a copy and could not put it down. I quickly ordered a couple of the rarest titles that I did not already own, figuring prices for some of these out of print books are going to go sky high. In an unscientific survey I just checked to verify my theory and it seems to me that prices on some titles are definitely up. I claim it's because Steve's book is now out. In a shrewd moment I thought of cornering the market on Plummer's <i>Tales of a Rat Hunting Man, </i>which wouldn't have been all that hard at the time - now it is impossible. One copy is now listed at $673.76. Prices on a few of the titles in the hundred have been out of sight for a long time -- I'm thinking of Jack O'Connor's <i>Hunting in the Southwest </i>which I looked for again after reading Steve's description.<br />
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Steve's book won't help the price situation, though it may actually get some classics back in print. I notice that one of the hundred, Saxton Pope's 1923 book <i>Hunting with the Bow and Arrow</i>, a longtime favorite of mine, is recently back in print. I traded my own copy, an early printing, to a fanatic bow hunter in Virginia for a hind quarter of a whitetail he killed with his bow. That meat was the beginning of my own long relationship with game meat; killing, butchering, cooking and feasting. I cooked and shared a memorable meal with friends, one of whom popped the cork on a 1974 Chateau Latour for the occasion. But I always regretted not having my copy of Pope's book which I bought for five dollars in a used book and magazine store in Norfolk Virginia.<br />
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In our broader culture, the trend to dumb everything down to the lowest common denominator, to reach the largest possible audience, seems inexorable. Steve refuses to participate in that trend. A selection of books like this reveals as much about the selector as it does about the books themselves. Taken as a whole, it represents a lifetime of scholarship. This book, and the books he recommends, provide a view into the mind of perhaps the deepest thinker about blood sport we have today. Thank you Steve.<br />
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Buy <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sportsmans-Library-Essential-Occasionally-Adventurous/dp/0762780258" target="_blank">Steve's book</a> now!<br />
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Old Gunkie in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09361207827364887045noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3549621648467760514.post-17395049211486133082013-05-18T12:11:00.001-06:002013-05-21T07:34:33.443-06:00A Day on the Green<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXc5Hhw80QrOhliszkB_gw8jg5_y5pJvGMKkpMl3uOuIgiS06KVsIFzHKF7oofFM_ylrMt69p9EKDfu6erVCH2mL79hTDudNd838BNctdIvnbCJkyflbuzhurELf8IlUMrQXcu7E9E2n_L/s1600/Green_04_A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXc5Hhw80QrOhliszkB_gw8jg5_y5pJvGMKkpMl3uOuIgiS06KVsIFzHKF7oofFM_ylrMt69p9EKDfu6erVCH2mL79hTDudNd838BNctdIvnbCJkyflbuzhurELf8IlUMrQXcu7E9E2n_L/s400/Green_04_A.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leopard spotted brown. </td></tr>
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After working every day but one for the past month, I managed to take a day to fish the Green River on my drive home from a conference in Utah. The Green River below the Flaming Gorge dam in Utah is a world class fishery. There are reportedly 20,000 fish per mile and I believe it. The "A section" extends seven miles downstream from the Flaming Gorge dam to Little Hole.I'd planned to fish downstream from the dam access but I abandoned that plan because of the crowd. Instead I drove downstream to the Little Hole access. The parking lot there was nearly empty when I arrived at 9:30 AM. It's the takeout for boats floating from the dam and by afternoon it is filled with trucks towing trailers that have been shuttled down during the day.<br />
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It turned out to be a very good day. Saddly, I was a week late for the Blue Winged Olive hatch, though a few olives did come off during the day. Even so, the fish were still keyed in on BWO nymphs, and I caught as many fish as I care to in a day. I know because I lost count. If I had to guess I landed 15 and hooked about twice that many. None of the fish I landed was under 15" and none were over 20". All of them took my Black Back Wet Dream.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxkjPmC1T4Jj9MEFHrASz_SW3N-qMQOWeJaOwtzhJN161XdLYwFOn1xoxh2Dj9hxpPKSJIVEBu03BrOpRV9A_ov3EbJJGhoX5LQZCqKuUHaHCvHSrgv8klF9nCPVsSFNT5pj75DGRlHGmZ/s1600/WD40_00.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxkjPmC1T4Jj9MEFHrASz_SW3N-qMQOWeJaOwtzhJN161XdLYwFOn1xoxh2Dj9hxpPKSJIVEBu03BrOpRV9A_ov3EbJJGhoX5LQZCqKuUHaHCvHSrgv8klF9nCPVsSFNT5pj75DGRlHGmZ/s400/WD40_00.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BBWD tied on a size 20 Dai-Riki #135 hook - black flashback.</td></tr>
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I tie this version of the WD on size 18-22 Dai_Riki #135 hooks.<br />
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<i><u>Black Back Wet Dream (BBWD)</u></i><br />
<i>Hook: size 18-22 scud/pupa hook</i><br />
<i>Body: olive or brown olive thread</i><br />
<i>Tail: a few fibers from a Wood Duck flank feather</i><br />
<i>Thorax: tan/brown dubbing</i><br />
<i>Wing Case: Black Holo-Tinsel</i><br />
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In the pictured fly I used 70 denier brown olive Ultra thread, the thorax is SLF Spikey Dubbing in natural fox color and the wing case is black Holo Tinsel. It is a synthesis of Mark Engler's original WD (wet dream) pattern with a flashier version of Randy Smith's Tyvek Baetis. Engler's pattern was renamed the WD-40 by Umpqua when they commercialised it - so as not to offend delicate sensibilities. I do not share their compuction. Many folks assume the WD stands for "wood duck". Good marketing at work I guess. Smith's pattern uses a wing case tied from Tyvek that has been colored black. Mine uses black holo-tinsel. Feel free to tie as many as you like, it's proving to be an amazingly effective pattern, but also, consider this post a copyright on the pattern should you want to commercialize it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguq8vOgXFsjiz1Y7e3i06dc35Eu8cu4OFzG7dzIqXfWYYZbwu-AiTAtex7fC4GocoLSysjYy2_mB-EPy2eyVsHhIiL_jyOVynfGQwJR1ao31oWIdrS9iGa7vwPsgzrRL-0uo1Klj0BkEal/s1600/Green_21.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguq8vOgXFsjiz1Y7e3i06dc35Eu8cu4OFzG7dzIqXfWYYZbwu-AiTAtex7fC4GocoLSysjYy2_mB-EPy2eyVsHhIiL_jyOVynfGQwJR1ao31oWIdrS9iGa7vwPsgzrRL-0uo1Klj0BkEal/s400/Green_21.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An eighteen incher.</td></tr>
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The Green is primarily a brown trout fishery although I did catch some nice rainbows too, fat fish. These fish are heavily pressured and can be selective feeders. The water is extraordinarily clear and good sized fish hang on the banks. You see many many of them as you hike up the trail. It can be a frustrating experience for the tyro to fish to one of these large trout, clearly on the feed, in shallow water. There is nothing more satisfying than taking one of these fish. Once again, I complain that the fly shops are pushing the big flies to novices because so many fisherman are reluctant to fish the small flies. The green has a good hatch of cicadas and a big black foam fly is a common pattern there. Later in the summer there is good hopper fishing as well. The fly shops are starting to push those flies though I did not see one cicada nor did I see any hoppers. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dfEtGIr0JPg2tLjrF3Jgo4Abyz-xBmzht2kJzPAEN3R_pX2z4QTIu8rZX8IgVfzyKo5MpgkMWaoTo93ps4z8IsgLFZ7VzGlnKLxPlaqcNGODJVeC_w0Kq2QEYh55_zEpeG__YtK_hnsx/s1600/Green_11_A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dfEtGIr0JPg2tLjrF3Jgo4Abyz-xBmzht2kJzPAEN3R_pX2z4QTIu8rZX8IgVfzyKo5MpgkMWaoTo93ps4z8IsgLFZ7VzGlnKLxPlaqcNGODJVeC_w0Kq2QEYh55_zEpeG__YtK_hnsx/s400/Green_11_A.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I met a man on the trial who I took to be from Oregon since he talked about fishing to spawning rainbows on the Williamson River. These are fish that run up out of Klamath Lake. He seemed somewhat disappointed with the Green in comparison. He said he'd done well the day before but he complained that he'd had to fish size 20 flies. When I first met him he was fishing a cicada and when I saw him later had a streamer tied on. By that time he'd had one hook-up. Somewhat hopefully, he told me how he'd met someone the day before who frequently fishes the Green and who prefers to tie on an Adams or a Royal Coachman. A size 20 Adams would actually be a decent imitation of a BWO and there is a kind of local beetle with red/orange colouring. So who knows, maybe an Adams or a Royal Coachman would be just the ticket. I expressed my doubts which prompted him to walk on. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghIXa5pioaOOrjGpYbwkxefnk_kEPsc-BfbYKmTNOg-kX_wrtPFKElXMkYtxFcTyo3Y3YgHr1mYLYTCdLk3yAaewdUObFM9xx1rA87IpLoSfp__1btEOR-xpsnGep9kOi6lBln7dkHkCqP/s1600/Green_31_A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghIXa5pioaOOrjGpYbwkxefnk_kEPsc-BfbYKmTNOg-kX_wrtPFKElXMkYtxFcTyo3Y3YgHr1mYLYTCdLk3yAaewdUObFM9xx1rA87IpLoSfp__1btEOR-xpsnGep9kOi6lBln7dkHkCqP/s400/Green_31_A.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down into Little Hole on my way out at about five-thirty.<br />
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The Green is a great river. I caught it yesterday at an in between stage, after the BWO hatch but before the summer hatches. I promise myself that next year I <i>will </i>catch the BWO hatch.<br />
<br />Old Gunkie in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09361207827364887045noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3549621648467760514.post-7189731046250160592013-04-09T07:00:00.000-06:002013-04-09T21:59:22.069-06:00Wanted: A Blue Winged Olive Hatch<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyUzO_v_dtUwwCsD97MsXIAiLNxIq3GycvwsMr-0lzOD8C86P-ACpJUSkB4ExrcZRSWNeERzODVb6671LJJ-YukoWo_zO9qhq4vSPU6hyphenhyphenpGLt3IA9M2a4xVWl7_wEfL7AOJonAIcxmu93/s1600/Laramie_brown_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyUzO_v_dtUwwCsD97MsXIAiLNxIq3GycvwsMr-0lzOD8C86P-ACpJUSkB4ExrcZRSWNeERzODVb6671LJJ-YukoWo_zO9qhq4vSPU6hyphenhyphenpGLt3IA9M2a4xVWl7_wEfL7AOJonAIcxmu93/s400/Laramie_brown_01.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A wild brown that took a BWO imitation.</td></tr>
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It's that time of year when the Blue Winged Olive hatch should be on. I spent Sunday seeking the hatch but did not find it. I drove around to Six Mile Gap on the Upper North Platte and discovered it was too muddy to fish. Maybe not too muddy, but muddier that I wanted to deal with. Lesson learned: check the N. Platte at the State Line Ranch bridge before driving another 12 miles north to six mile gap. The muddy run off was from a snow storm that had hit the N. Platte River Valley but did not leave us a drop of snow on the other side of the Snowy Range. I drove back to fish the Laramie River not far from my home. The ice is off but the water is clear and low. These are not the easiest conditions for fishing there. The Laramie is a wild brown trout fishery and can offer fantastic fishing - but just as often, for me anyway, it can be a bust. In fact, I can not think of another river that has fished as inconsistently for me as the Laramie.<br />
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The day was cool and intermittently overcast with fast scudding clouds which occasionally dropped a mixture of rain and sleet and sometimes a rush of snow which was gone in another minute. Textbook conditions for a Spring Baetis hatch. The Blue Winged Olives are the first mayflies to hatch in the season. They are magnificent little mayflies with bluish gray wings and olive/brown bodies. Unfortunately, the hatch was not to be.<br />
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I did have a good afternoon. I caught six (or seven?) beautiful wild brown trout in a bit more than three hours. The largest (shown above) was just under 18" but the fish were more commonly around 14". All but two of the fish took a WD40 tied on a size 18 DaiRiki #135 hook. I've been tying the WD40 with a wood duck tail and a body of 70 denier olive/brown UTC thread. Compared to the old standard Uni-thread the UTC thread colors are both nuanced and rich. The thorax is dubbed with SLF Spikey Dubbing in the Natural Fox color. The wing case is black Holo Tinsel. The distinctive thing about the WD40 is the oversize "globular" thorax. Of the two fish that did not take the WD40, one fancied a skinny orange rock worm and another took a gold bead caddis. I have to say that every time I brought one in on the WD40 I was surprised to see the fish had not taken the more colorful fly of the pair. The BWO's may not have been hatching but the fish seem keyed into a good imitation of the BWO nymph/emerger. That has me thinking the hatch is on, I just missed it.<br />
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<br />Old Gunkie in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09361207827364887045noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3549621648467760514.post-17874342155427916922013-03-31T13:31:00.000-06:002013-03-31T20:38:36.557-06:00The flush is on at the Reef and the rainbows are in.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Biggest fish of the day.</td></tr>
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BLM started the Spring flush below the Gray Reef dam on March 22nd. At midnight they start increasing the flow to 5000 CFS and by 3 AM they start dropping it back down to 500 CFS. By 10AM, about the time we arrived yesterday, everything appears to be completely normal. This release schedule ends today, March 31st. The flush is a great thing for the trout habitat - and this is why they do it - to flush out fine sediment that builds up in gravelly spawning beds. If there is not free flow of water through the gravel the eggs do not survive. Before the dams were in place, runoff flowed free in June and performed a natural flush, clearing out accumulated slit. The management of dam flows strictly to satisfy downstream water users is a quick way to ruin a river. This is how the once great fishery on the Henry's Fork of the Snake was destroyed - or nearly so if you read the Island Park flyshop pages. On the Henry's Fork, flow from the dams was dictated by downstream irrigation needs. Winter/spring flushes to simulate the natural flush of runoff were perceived as a waste of good water. This nearly killed the Henry's Fork. Annual flushing flows were started on the North Platte in 1995 and since then, trout populations have grown from 400 to 3500 per mile. Before the flush this year they drained the Gray Reef holding reservoir so they could inspect the gates on the dam. That dumped a lot of sediment into the river, and along with it, a lot of aquatic worms and midge larvae.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzdSVeFGuQdIWpb_zZ-85skHraSIjHbYmQBfULb0TQTxE0Xc996OgfgF6gzKNN3KmoW8RtUg5-ZPe9CUaxoZpgIXna3_hJSNvhG06Y6d7baJKWbBe71LJfwDo3aiCisDzOeiEbJXHC4-Kq/s1600/Annelid_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzdSVeFGuQdIWpb_zZ-85skHraSIjHbYmQBfULb0TQTxE0Xc996OgfgF6gzKNN3KmoW8RtUg5-ZPe9CUaxoZpgIXna3_hJSNvhG06Y6d7baJKWbBe71LJfwDo3aiCisDzOeiEbJXHC4-Kq/s400/Annelid_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rock Worms - tied on a DaiRiki 135 #16 with Danville 70 denier red thread wrapped over two strands of UTC micro orange stretch tubing, and coated with Sally Hansen Hard as Nails..</td></tr>
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From a macro point of view, the flushing flows keep the river healthy from year to year and increases trout populations. From a micro point of view, fishing during the flush is a different game than it is at other times. In mid-February, and throughout much of the regular fishing year, even when the flows are high, midges are hot. A Mercury Midge (or some variant of it) is my goto fly. The flush is churning up the rich sediment that was dumped into the river. I started yesterday with a Rock Worm and a midge on the point and<br />
I did not get one hit on a midge - neither did Jeff. As I've never seen it before red was the fly color of the day. If I was a better naturalist I would have thought to pump the stomach on one of the fish I caught to see what they were feeding on. I'd bet money they were stuffed with annelids - or were they stuffed with midge larvae? Most of the fish, including my biggest fish of the day, took a smaller worm pattern which was tied on a size 16 Dai Riki 135 hook. By the way, the biggest fish I caught 22" and it was the largest one I've managed to catch for some time at Gray Reef. The flush and the pending spawn are bringing bigger fish up to the dam.<br />
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I have often been resistant to fishing worm patterns, but yesterday, to match the hatch, a worm was de riguer. It's pretty much the only thing I could get any fish to look at though I did hook two on a green leech. The red "rock worm" is a standard pattern at Gray Reef and it produces fish on a regular basis. Some guys fish almost nothing else. During the spawn, a worm is often teamed with an egg - this rig is commonly referred to "Bacon and Eggs." The standard Gray Reef Rock Worm pattern is usually tied in a larger size than the ones shown above. Yesterday, with the fish so keyed in on red, I eventually rigged up with with a larger rock worm above the smaller one on the point.<br />
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<a href="http://coloradoskiesoutfitters.com/video-tutorial/fly-tying/red-annelid/" target="_blank">On the web you can find the Rock Worm pattern referred to as a San Juan Worm</a>; this just shows an unfortunate ignorance (or indifference) to fly pattern history and nomenclature. Unfortunately this usage seems to be taking hold - I talked to someone yesterday at the Reef who had a Rock Worm tied on and told me he was fishing a San Juan Worm. For those who may not know, a <a href="http://www.flyfisherman.com/foundation-forty/san-juan-worm/#axzz2P8bpTtji" target="_blank">San Juan Worm</a> is a fly pattern developed on the San Juan river in NM. It is a bit of ultra-chenille tied on a hook. It looks nothing like the N. Platte Rock Worm. Personally, if I ordered half a dozen San Juan Worms and a package of Rock Worms showed up instead (or vice versa) I'd be miffed. Not all worm patterns are San Juan Worms.<br />
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I've always been a bit puzzled as to why the Rock Worm is such a popular pattern at the Reef. Sure it brings in some good fish throughout the year - but so will a Gold Ribbed Hares Ear nymph. I caught my largest trout ever (measured at 27") on a GRHE drifted deep on the south side of the Gray Reef dam. I suspect it was taken for a crane fly larva. A day like yesterday is not enough to convince me that a Rock Worm is <i>always </i>the way to go at the reef - but I could see how some people might get that idea. It seems to be common knowledge that the flush is a good time to fish and so it was as crowded yesterday as I've seen it in a long time. That means a lot of people got the rock worm message.<br />
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Old Gunkie in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09361207827364887045noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3549621648467760514.post-49630696799851578362013-03-02T23:00:00.000-07:002013-04-03T15:14:31.967-06:00Fishing the Wind River Canyon<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7BGrxEVON9KbACypIPGJU-6AmnQCe8rqbQ2VDaj6myDn3J5uN1z6tTdulWRmAzZXvc0UQJLHOFtw4jEQ5JE5lRXql4RZpsC7qi_cpk1cSAOMwJJDcp8Ec7WXWTayAqTAU2Z2iOHDOisn_/s1600/Wind_river_04_trim_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7BGrxEVON9KbACypIPGJU-6AmnQCe8rqbQ2VDaj6myDn3J5uN1z6tTdulWRmAzZXvc0UQJLHOFtw4jEQ5JE5lRXql4RZpsC7qi_cpk1cSAOMwJJDcp8Ec7WXWTayAqTAU2Z2iOHDOisn_/s400/Wind_river_04_trim_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nice rainbow caught in the Wind River canyon.</td></tr>
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The Wind River starts up high near the summit of Togwotee pass, flows south and east through Doubois WY and then into Boysen Reservoir. From Boysen reservoir it flows north into the Wind River canyon. After exiting the canyon, at the "wedding of the waters" it becomes the Big Horn river which flows north through Thermopolis WY and into Montana eventually to flow into the Missouri. <br />
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For about a mile (maybe less) after the Wind flows out of Boysen Reservoir and just before it drops into the canyon proper, it flows through Boysen State Park. In the state park a WY fishing license is all you need. Once past the park, the river flows on the Wind River reservation which is the home of the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes. To fish or hike in the canyon (or anywhere on the reservation) you need a <a href="http://www.windriver.org/info/assets/Fishing%20Regs%202008.pdf" target="_blank">Tribal Fishing/Trespass license</a> plus a $5 conservation stamp. For WY residents the license costs $20/day, $50/7days and $80/year - non-residents pay $25, $75 and $125. I purchased a yearly permit at the Fast Lane in Shoshoni. Last year I tried to buy a permit on a Sunday in Thermopolis - no can do.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDXc_TpJlXnVaaOyqrZOaewXG4Z_QkLUmI1J2vxkpYp-SP6rZH86qYaIjBrAHfWSMvysjRgHJg6yut-UcMfNTLWuWypwJfbyB5aZpEbtgD4_IwieqmPrm1BAk0a_RZtGuX7TtmApWXasq/s1600/Wind_river_00_trim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDXc_TpJlXnVaaOyqrZOaewXG4Z_QkLUmI1J2vxkpYp-SP6rZH86qYaIjBrAHfWSMvysjRgHJg6yut-UcMfNTLWuWypwJfbyB5aZpEbtgD4_IwieqmPrm1BAk0a_RZtGuX7TtmApWXasq/s400/Wind_river_00_trim.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking upstream - I am bringing in a nice fish.</td></tr>
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Starting around noon I fished a deep run low in the canyon for a couple of hours in the sun, the air temperature was around 50F. I hooked up pretty consistently on a size 12 bead-head pheasant tail. In an hour and a half or so I managed to land five nice fish and hooked up with another five I did not bring to hand. I fished further upstream later in the day - after the sun had disappeared in the clouds - and was frustrated to not hook up again.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A smaller rainbow in beautiful form.</td></tr>
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Old Gunkie in Wyominghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09361207827364887045noreply@blogger.com1