partsman

Nice smallie, and sounds like a good trip!

Mike.

DFoster, thanks for the update, I’m glad this story had a happy ending!

Mike.

Very cool.

Mike.

Awesome Steve, wish I was able to be up there unfortunately I have a date Friday with a surgeon. I’m going to be hanging around home for at least a month. Keep the great reports and pics coming.

Mike.

Beautiful fish! To bad about the camera. Glad your having a good time!

Mike.

Chugbug27, very nice tie, I’m wondering did you use the orange silk as tying thread and tie in the body threads at the back of the hook? I’ve got to try a few these!

Thanks, Mike,

That is very cool looking, do shape the curvature to any shape you want once it’s off the needle?

Mike.

Your in my prayers Mark, hope you have a speedy recovery!

Mike.

Gene, I agree with DFoster, don’t give up just yet, with all of the the great therapies out there you may be happily surprised. I know from recent health issues I’m having and being a official senior citizen now that it’s easy to start just not doing stuff, but I’m not slowing down, every day is a gift use it.

Mike.

 Very nice Dean!

Mike.

Glad to hear it, pun intended! As I sit here and the ringing gets louder, Dean, yes most of hearing issues are self inflicted as well. 30 years at GM and cutting wood with a chainsaw and yea I love classic rock loud! I will 65 in June, which is scary in itself oh and did I mention 11 years working at my local Ace hardware after retiring from GM with those stupid radios and ear phone. I guess I should be happy I can still kinda of hear anything.  Oh well getting old is definitely not for the faint of heart!

Mike.

Glad to hear the news for you Steve, I told my wife today I need to make a appointment for a hearing specialist today, and that is a big step for me. Any kind help for my hearing would be great, and I’m taking Dfosters recommendations into consideration to be discussed with hearing specialist. 
Thanks, Mike.

SilverCreek and Philly, thanks to both of you, nice patterns, explanations!

Mike.

Keep us updated, I’m looking for some relief, I’ve had tinnitus for several years and it comes and goes in intensity. The last few weeks have been the worst I have ever experienced and really it’s enough to drive a person crazy. I’m thinking about hearing aids with some sort of aid for tinnitus. If only I had known how much quality hearing protection may have been beneficial after 30 years at GM and cutting fire wood maybe I would be dealing with this now. But such is life, so I have deal with it. But I really know what your talking about and I hope you find some relief.

Mike.

Great report DFoster, I’m totally with you on quaility gear. I think your really going to like the orvis waders, I have a 7 year old pair of silver sonics with some minimal patching that still don’t leak. Although I did a pair of simms g-3 last year and like the fit much better on them. I’m really having a problem with packs, I hate vest, I bought the umpacqa chest pack, it’s okay but at 65 years old I need to see every step I take. So I bought the fishpond waterproof sling pack, nice but really heavy on shoulder. So now I’m thinking a waterproof hip pack, I don’t know I carry way to much stuff, but I drive 140 miles to favorite stream so it’s a all day trip for me. I loved your bamboo rod build and I’m going to buy a blank this summer or early fall, I came across a 6 wt. 2 pcs. Early im6 graphite blank to build this summer. I wanted a softer 6 wt. for the hex and brown drakes here in Michigan hopefully this rod will be it. Anyway enjoy your fishing this year as much as you can as I intend to do the same.

Mike.

On the South  branch of the Ausable river in the middle of the Mason Tract are the remains of a castle, some concrete footings and scattered other pieces of concrete are all that remain. The castle was built by the son of Billy Durant in the late 1920,s and burned down in 1931, there is now a small dock and picnic tables and out houses there. It’s kind of eerie there at times.

White-not, a Rusty Gates pattern. 
Hook- size 10-16 standard dry fly. 
Thread- dark brown. 
tail- moose body hairs. 
Body- dyed rusty brown deer hair. 
parachute- recipe calls for deer hair, I like synthetic. 
thorax-dark brown thread. 
wing- dark dun.

That’s a good one SilverCreek, I needed a good chuckle.

 Thanks, Mike.

That is the lesson we have learned over the last two years, I would never thought things could get so side tracked. We garden, and can and have a small freezer stocked. We’re getting chickens at the end of the month, and live in one the highest density of deer areas in lower Michigan. I hope things don’t get any worse for the sake of young folks, I have two kids and three grand kids, I’d like to see the best for all of them.

Mike.

I fish the same general area as Steve, I’m about 50 miles closer though. In 2013 I traded in my last pickup and got the cheapest equinox on the dealers lot. It gets around fine, it’s 4 banger and if I set the cruise between 55 to 60 I can get well over 30 mpg. I’m retired and did the side job thing for 11 years, but I’m done with it now. Yes the price of gas will have a effect, I will be picking my days very carefully.

Mike.

Life is good, as grandpa myself enjoy!

Mike

Size 10 thru 16 standard dry fly hook

brown or black 8/0 or 70 denier thread

Moose hair tail

turkey tail fibers for the body

para post

brown and grizzly hackle

brown superfine dubbing

Working on my Michigan dry fly selection, this is the Borchers parachute, tied in sizes 10-16, covers a lot of bases for our early big brown bugs.

Mike.

Dfoster, I have a 7 year old pair of orvis silver Sonics that have held up beyond my expectations, I also bought a pair of the Simms g3 last year that I hope will last for a while. I have had to do minimal patching on my silver Sonics but still love them.  I have done a ton of hiking and wading in them and really should have just bought another pair of orvis, but the g3 waders are made in the USA and feel at this time I need to support USA made products. I really don’t have a problem supporting other countries economies except china.

Mike.

Very nice, have you had it out in the yard/snow for test drive?

mike.