When the redbuds bloom

Sylvrfalcn

Sylvrfalcn

Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
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At least in Texas, it's sure sign that it's time to go fishing. The black bass are going on the beds and feeding in the shallows, and the white bass'll be running in the Colorado River. Fishing is something I've loved since childhood, but it's something I sorted of drifted away from. Well sir, by golly, I'm drifting back. Got myself a shiny new fishing license, and tonight I'll be overhauling my rods and reels and sorting out my tackle box. I'm excited, can you tell? Much of my outdoor education was acquired out hunting and fishing with my dad and uncles. Catching fish is just a bonus to a beautiful morning on a quiet lake, watching the mists burn off as birds sing a joyful greeting to the sun. Heck, even ordered myself a brand new Barlow knife, a country boy can't go fishing, squirrel hunting, or such without one. :D

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There's even an old bluegrass song about it, goes something like this;
"I've been a fisherman all my life
and all I've got is a Barlow knife.
Barlow handle and a Barlow blade.
Best durn knife that ever was made."

That there's good stuff. :thumbup: :D

Sarge
 
Your post made me smile Sarge:thumbup:

It also made me a bit jealous--fishing (non-ice that is) is a ways off up here;)

My goal this summer is to spend alot more time outside, and a lot less time cluttering up our summer with "plans"--if we're not careful up here in cold country, we try and jam 9 months of living into 2 months of summer. The old saying applies that you often "need a vacation to recover from your vacation".

Happy fishing Sarge.
 
Sarge I've got a Russell just exactly like that one and I can tell you its a winner. Nice carbon steel blades that are easy to sharpen and hold a good edge, and that handy barlow style that is so wonderful to use. Its good. I'm jealous of your fishing. Good luck.:thumbup:
 
Andy, when I was a young feller, you could buy a genuine Case XX barlow knife at the hardware store for two and a half bucks. I found a place on the 'net that I can get the Russel barlow for $26.95 and thought that was a pretty good bargain all things considered. ;)

Good to know it's a decent knife though, it's bound to get a workout, many thanks for the heads up.

Sarge
 
I think I uesd to read of barlow knives in western pocket books . Looks like a blade that would take a lot and last awhile . Good weather and good fishing .
 
Yup, Chalk Ridge Falls on the Lampasas River below Stillhouse Hollow, early monday morning. Won't have any company but the critters, all the non-retired folks will just be getting up and getting ready for work, God bless 'em. Hybrid Stripers as long as my arm, and catfish you could near about put a saddle on. If I ain't getting any bites, I can always watch the armadillos. It's their mating season, and their amorous antics will just about make you bust a gut laughing. :D

waterf4


Sarge
 
Sarge, you're missing a good deal by not having a flyrod and reel with a good flyline it and a six - eight foot leader. You can use the ever popular Doll Flies or even the top water poppers, the little ones.
Panfish the size of your hand and bigger are great taken on a flyrod and fight like the dickens, pound for pound better 'en any dayumed ol bass any day!:thumbup:
And if thety're not hitting on the artificials there's always the good ol standby, the hook and a piece of worm and a little pencil bobber.
Also great for Crappie if you got 'em in your part o' the country.
And the Crappie and Perch are the best eaten fish a man can catch IMO, something about them make their meat sweeter than the purest honey. They like to nest up probably about the same time as the bass do and will bite when the bass ain't, usually.;)
And with a heavier flyrod and of course a heavier leader the rigs can be used to fish for dayumed near anything up to and including the hybrid strippers.
Shoot they even have used them for Tarpon in the Florida Flats.:cool: :D
 
Yvsa, I've got a fly rod and reel that a friend gave me, might have to give it a try. Have to somewhat sheepishly confess to being skeered of looking like a fool, or the much dreaded "you'll put your eye out with that thing".:rolleyes:
I confess to having simple tastes in fishin' gear, probably 90% of the freshwater fish I've caught were taken with an old Zebco 33. When I look at all the tackle in a sporting goods store it plumb makes me dizzy, and I can't help but chuckle thinking about heading down a dusty dirt road with cane poles lashed to the side of a '64 Chevy Bel Air, what seems like it must have been a million years ago. :D

Sarge
 
Sylvrfalcn said:
Yvsa, I've got a fly rod and reel that a friend gave me, might have to give it a try. Have to somewhat sheepishly confess to being skeered of looking like a fool, or the much dreaded "you'll put your eye out with that thing".

Sarge
Click to expand...

Sarge, that's a very real scenario but it's more likely your ear that you should be concerned with than your eye and I should'a mentioned that.:o
I forget that even a lot of us old hands don't have the skills to do everything right at the beginning of a new project.
The nice thing is that with a flyline you don't need any weight to cast the line. A bit of practise without any hooks or the like would sure be prudent!!!! :thumbup:

I like the ol' 33's myself but I prefer them hanging down from my rod rather than setting on top of it.
They used to be called the 44 but I don't know what they're designated as now. I bought a brand new one a few years ago and have never had it in the water.:o
Barb and I have been talking about getting the tackle out for repair and a good general cleaning and to see what we need to restock on.
A neat tip for the flyrod/leader connection is a little device called a No-Knot.:rolleyes: ;) It's merely a little eye that is inserted in the end of the flyline that the leader can be tied to. Makes for a nice clean transition and I've never lost a fish because of it.
I've wrapped the leader around my hand and tried to pull them out but I have never succeeded, tough little boogers they are.:thumbup: :D

Methinks that if you try it you'll soone see that the flyrod is just a modern replacement for the old cane pole wrapped with several yards of braided line.:thumbup: ;) :D
 
Man Sarge you gotta listen to Yvsa here. I just love hanging into a big ass bass and having him fight like a bull, but for eating crappie is the best fish I've ever had. And catching them, or even bluegill, on a fly rod is as much fun as landing a lunker any day. Remember now that I was raised in south Louisianna near the coast, and lived in Ft. Lauderdale with my wife for a few years too, so I've eaten more fish than the average man. Crappie has the sweetest whitest flakiest meat on any fish I've ever eaten. Paper thin mouth though, so don't set the hook like you do a bass. My grandad, my dad, and I used to fish them in the Toledo Bend Resevoir, between Louisianna and Texas. Fun times. Practice your fly casting in your back yard with a hookless lure. Swing the rod like a bull whip over your head, but go slower and try to keep your timing even. Nothing like catching a fish on a fly rod. Got any trout in that stream?
 
I love the Redbuds. Here we have the redbuds blooming first, then the next is a smattering of white from the Serviceberry, then the Dogwood.
 
Er, Sarge?

You don't have to "A River Runs Through It" fish with a fly rod. They are perfect for crik fishing with a line, hook, worm. Long enough to flick the line under over-hanging branches, simple enough to 'splain the rules to the fish you catch.

But I am a barbarian. I like catching more than fishing.
 
Dogwoods have always been my favorite flower. I love how they look on a wooded hillside. When I bought our little house I was suprised to learn we had 5 of them on 1/3 acre. Last year we lost one of the larger ones. I cut it up and turned it on the lathe. Gorgeous wood. Lemme tell you that dogwood is hard as snot, and beautifully figured with a tight grain and an almost pink hue. I don't want to loose any more of my trees, but I'd take some more of the wood any day.
 
Cliff?

My father was an occasional muskie fisherman, and I've met some guys down here in Southern Wisconsin who go North to fish those inland sharks.

The concensus seems to be a 10 inch section of broom-handle with three treble hooks, and a leader and line as you described will work just fine.

http://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/greatlakesfish/musky.html

Only fishing I've heard of where having a fish make a pass at a lure is considered a good trip.


Have fun, dress warm.
 
Here's the Dogwood and Redbuds blooming in the old orchard on top of the hill where I hike a lot. This was taken back in the spring

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This is the passage out of the field into the woods lots of redbud and dogwood here.

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Nice pics Hollow :thumbup:

Kis, I've never seen a muskie, except on TV, but us southern folk have a different kind of "inland shark" called an alligator gar.

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Here's two sets of bluegrass lyrics that seem to fit in the same pocket :D

I've been a fisherman all my life
and all I've got is a Barlow knife
Barlow handle and a Barlow blade
Best durn knife that ever was made

Going up Cripple Creek, going in a run
Going up Cripple Creek, to have a little fun
Roll my britches legs to my knees
Wade old Cripple Creek where I please

Sarge
 
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