Poopdeck

Absolutely not. I was part of the force reduction as well. I was forced out of active duty into the reserves and then forced out of reserves into the national guard when combat arms units went to the guard and support units went to the USAR. I wanted to stay a 12B. I ended up retiring after 24 years and today I happily collect a small but decent pension. Funny thing was my life has been far better since being forced out into the civilian market while I was still relatively young. While I’m at it, the reserves and NG comprise almost 50% of our military. The vast majority of reservists have combat tours under their belts with many doing multiple deployments in both Afghanistan and Iraq and many other places where they are separated from their families. My one fishing partner is a disabled vet injured in Afghanistan. Sadly he can't get in and out of my boat anymore. Another friend was killed in Afghanistan. So this notion of not being a veteran because of reserve status is an old school mentality, so thank you for your service Johnny. I’ll thank a vet and graciously accept a thank you at every opportunity. To be rude or act offended over a kind gesture is a glaring character flaw and in no way representative of the vast majority of veterans.

Indeed, nice tie. You now unlocked the secret that dry flies are not that difficult to tie. Just takes a little practice. Keep at it.

Really nice. Love the colors and the shimmer. You’re a machine. Just ridiculously consistent great ties! I don’t know how you do it. I tried and tried and tried and only made a mess. Love seeing your work. Thank you sir. Some really nice patterns being offered up this month and of course, Flytire’s flies are all impressive. Keep it up guys, it’s getting me through all this freaking rain.

I thought the actual eclipse, 90% in SE PA, was pretty unimpressive. What I was impressed with was the carnival like atmosphere it created in the middle of the afternoon. I had a great time being out in the buzz of the eclipse. It’s fascinating how the eclipse brought everybody together for two hours. No protesting, no difference of opinions, no us vs them, just everybody out uniting during an uncommon event. That’s what I will remember. Great time, just what we needed, thank you God.

I not be smacking the stacker hard enough to break the hair tips, theoretically anyway. I will add that this is bleached elk hair that could be 25 years or older. It’s in a plastic bag marked “bleached elk hair” in my father’s handwriting. I am assuming some of the tips dried out more than the shaft or had more bleach on them and are more brittle than the others. Here is a before and after of the last tuft of hair from the patch.

After looking at the picture of my PMX in the challenge thread I noticed a lot of broken tips on the elk hair. I checked the elk hair and it looked fine. After further examination I learned I was breaking the tips in the hair stacker. Time for a new patch of Elk hair. PARACHUTE MADAAM X (PMX) Hook - size 8 3XL Thread - Flo orange 140 UTC/black 70 UTC Tail - Orange deer body hair Body - Flo orange UTC 140 Wing - Orange deer body hair Legs - Clear/orange barred Post - White poly Hackle - Brown dyed grizzly Thorax - UV peacock herl

I once did a night fishing trip on a brutally hot sweaty Florida summer night to beat the heat. I learned it’s still uncomfortably stinking hot with the addition of more bugs than I have ever seen anywhere at one time. Yep, you can have those night trips all to yourself. It’s been in the high forties here and the fishing is good moving towards fantastic.

Welcome! Can’t wait to see those two flies.

Thanks Sandan. I didn’t know dyed peacock heels were out there. Thanks for the heads up.

Ditto

That’s a really nice pattern with a great name to boot.

Those pond fish don’t stand a chance.

PARACHUTE MADAAM X (PMX) Hook - size 12 3XL Thread - Flo orange 140 UTC/black 70 UTC Tail - Bleached elk Body - Flo orange UTC 140 Wing - Bleached elk hair Legs - Clear/orange barred Post - White poly Hackle - Ginger Thorax - UV peacock herl I forgot something on the first fly. NEXT FLY - Smitherman's Draggin' Nymph Fly

Thank you. The stripped polish quills make great bodies and they come in nice colors.

Thank you. I was kind of dragging my feet and licking my wounds from a rough month at work