The Mad Duck

Very nice. Is that a "raindrop" type damascus pattern?

Well, dont get too excited too fast. It just took a package of mine two weeks to get from point A To point B. It may be a bit before it gets there. USPS and UPS are taking longer than normal

You seem to be an enterprising young man. Us old geezers like to see that in a young person and sometimes are in a position to show appreciation for a good work ethic and positive attitude.

Well young man..Today is your lucky day. I happen to have a Cabelas 9ft 8wt that is sitting in my basement and hasn't been used in a few years. I will sell it to you for the low low price of....free. I do have one condition. Down the road, When you have the opportunity to help someone else...Pay it forward.

Landon, What length and weight is your rod?

Its been my experience the "tournament" type bass fishermen with boats that go 100mph are the worst in regards to respecting space. I cant tell you how many times,while fishing in my kayak, that I have had these boats come screaming down a river or creek and either... 1. Zip by at 60 mph, coming close to tipping me over. 2. Stop and ease 20 feet in front of you to fish "their" chosen spot. That really gets on my last nerve and I let them know. I do enjoy catching fish as they fish through first and watch them catch nothing. The expression on their faces as I pull a nice Bass from the space they just vacated, is priceless. Once the finish fishing "their" spot, the engine cranks up and they take off in a drag race start burning the shoreline for everyone else.

I carry a 5wt too,BUT, you cant tell the fish which rod to bite. 🤣 Back a million years ago when I fished a lot of Marlin tournaments, The biggest fish seemed to always bite the 50's instead of the 80's

Its funny you mention that fish. I thought the same thing about it looking odd. Its a female Shellcracker. I knew it was a Shellcracker ,but there were a couple of things that made me go Humm? Firstly, the color was very pale compared to the normal Shellcrackers in this pond. Secondly, I've never seem a Shellcracker with as pronounced lateral lines down its side. I sent that photo to my buddy, who is a fish biologist that worked for the NC Wildlife resource commission for 30 years. He said 100% Shellcracker. He said when the fish are pale, like that one was, the lines are more pronounced.and, the heads are more sloped on the females. Mike, No Fliers in that pond, but when we fish in the Eastern part of the state, we catch quite a few of them.

Well, Friday, I braved the heat again to fish. Friday was a different game. There was a bit of wind blowing that helped buffer the heat a bit. It was still very hot and humid,but the wind really helped. The fish were in agreement. Everything I caught was down in deeper water and was caught on a sinking spider,with the exception of one tiny Bream which was caught on a Copper John type dropper. Friday was mostly Bass with a few Bream mixed in. The larger Bream have been elusive for the past month,but I did catch a few larger ones Friday, not big, but larger than I've been catching recently. I had a heartbreaking moment just before I left. I flipped the spider into some deep shade,right at the edge of a mat of floating vegetation. A large Bass came shooting out of the vegetation and stopped a few inches from the sinking fly. He eased forward and opened his mouth and slurped the fly in. I came tight on the fish and off we went. We tore up the end of the pond where I was fishing, then the fish turned around and headed home. I did everything I could to keep him out of the vegetation,but wasn't able to do so. The Bass got in there and just sat. I've fished a lot of deep saltwater for Grouper and when they get on the bottom and gain access to a hole, typically, you throw the reel into free spool and wait for him to come back out, so, that's what I tried. Didn't work, fish Gone. Oh, this fish was 7-8 Lbs and I was fishing a 3 wt. No tip lifting on a fish that size. The worst part...The fish was 3 feet from the bank and I could see him (or her). Oh well, another day., and, I did get the fight. It was a lot of fun on a 3 wt. I was hooked up for almost 5 minutes and moved back and forth a hundred yards or so. Totals 13 Bass and 9 Bream, 2 Shellcrackers.

Oh SNAP..I am one fly azz mofo

Thats all nice and fine for the fish. I was more looking at it from..Its too damn hot for ME

I had an appointment close to my covid ponds this morning. I went to fish after my appointment. I fished for 2 hours and after catching 1 Bass, decided it was too DAMN hot to fish. It was 96 degrees ,93% humidity and no wind. I had a bunch of fish half heartedly swipe at the fly then just slowly swim off. I guess they thought it was too hot too. Its a very rare day when I say, the hell with fishing, but today was that day.

That shape body would make a great cicada

I've seen them before. They look like a winged shrimp to me

Just an update on the hockey player. He was moved to a rehab facility and has in the last 60 days made a miraculous amount of progress. He is walking unassisted,but not huge distances. He is eating regular food. He is able to speak full sentences at a regular level instead of a whisper,AND, is expected to be released to a home type outpatient rehab program. Doubtful he will be playing this year,but he is showing NO signs of any lingering brain damage. Physically, he is still weak,but since he was in such top physical condition,the Dr's expect him to make a full recovery.