Accomplishments
Anglers ATTTTENNNTION! Well folks, the end of the Everyday in May challenge is here. First let me thank all of you who have been reading. I appreciate ever view, to every post, and every comment. Daily blogging is no joke! I feel a sense of accomplishment in having completed this.
A big thanks to How Small a Trout for issuing the Everyday in May challenge. I hope I am a better writer for this. Also, the prompts flowed well even though I didn’t always stick to them. (I know it wasn’t required but they did help.)
Lastly, thanks to all the fish who make this blog possible. I wouldn’t be able to do this without you. As a disclaimer I will state: no fish where harmed in the making of this blog.
So, as always…
I’ll see you on the high ground,
AirborneAngler
Today’s topic of Accomplishments is a prompt of the Everyday in May challenge. For more info click here. For all AirborneAngler Everyday in May posts click here.
Fish Philosophy
As a grunt is typically unrefined, so is his philosophy. Do not doubt for one second however that he has one. He does.
My fish philosophy is simple. It’s rather a collection of thoughts and a few principles I try to go by. They are by no means the letter of the law or a platform for me to preach on. As such, the collection below constitutes my developing fish philosophy in no particular order. (Dry fly purist trout fishermen beware.)
-If you are not having fun you are not fishing.
-If fly fishing was easy everyone would do it.
-Respect the water. Leave no trace.
-Respect the fish. Catch and release. Or, waste not want not.
-Tie your own flies. It’s more rewarding. If you don’t- at least you’re not bait fishing.
-More than trout take flies.
-Life is full of problems, fish trough it.
-Fly fishing is one part art, one part science.
-Photograph your quarry quickly. Ensure the fish survival. Let them recoup and then release.
-Get on the water as much as you can. Travel and find new places. Pieces of heaven are found here on earth.
See you on the high ground,
AirborneAngler
Today’s topic of Fish Philosophy is a prompt of the Everyday in May challenge. For more info click here. For all AirborneAngler Everyday in May posts click here.
Inspiration
See you on the high ground,
AirborneAngler
Today’s topic of Inspiration is a prompt of the Everyday in May challenge. For more info click here. For all AirborneAngler Everyday in May posts click here.
Mobile
Mo-bile, le-thal, versi-tile. That’s right fish fans- the latest platform edition to the AirborneAngler arsenal is a kayak. I made two practice runs this weekend, one on the Colorado and the Guadalupe River each. My aim is for this little kayak to lead me to the kayak Cadillac that is the Diablo Paddlesport grand prize in the Texas Hill Country Mixed Bag tournament. Stand fast- more to follow.
See you on the high ground,
AirborneAngler
Today’s topic of Mobile is a deviation of the Everyday in May challenge. For more info click here. For all AirborneAngler Everyday in May posts click here.
Bucket List
The Fly Fishing Bucket List
In no particular order…
Cut Throat Trout
Tiger Trout
Carp
Crappie
White Bass
Striped Bass
Brown Trout
It’s a short list and not so refined- but it’s my list.
See you on the high ground,
AirborneAngler
Today’s topic of Bucket List is a prompt of the Everyday in May challenge. For more info click here. For all AirborneAngler Everyday in May posts click here.
D-Day plus 42 (D+42)
Day 42 into the Texas Hill Country Mixed Bag (THCMB) contest and a catfish has me a bit shell shocked. Sometimes even when you win a fight it can leave you a bit what-the-hell-just-happened dazed. Today was no exception.
I started out at a not-so top secret location. While I have been made privy to the location (plus or minus a mile in accordance with THCMB rules) anyone looking at the required fish submission info will learn its locatin. Plus, once you name a place a ‘secret location’- it never is again; thanks Dave! But the contest really is about learning/sharing new locations so mission accomplished;you’re welcome Brandon!
Anyways, I had my usual line up of flies to assault. For the naysayers I did say flies, ie plural. But yes, the flying cat was the first thing I tied on. I would admit it would feel like cheating if the flying cat wasn’t tied by me- but I tie my own now. So, for anyone who wants to pick on me for always using it as my go-to fly, all I can say is check the leader board. And if Jimmy cracks corn and nobody cares- why are we still talking at it?
But again, I digress. The chaos part came into this when I cast near a really tree-root-saturated area. Right next to the bank I landed it really good. I let the fly sink as per Standard Operating Procedure and then twitch… twitch… BANG!
This fish and I did a waltz in the pool. I think it charged me in my float tube once just to spite me. But that wasn’t the slap in the face. Remember the rooty bank? Well, a waltz wasn’t the only dance on this cat’s punch card. He let me know this by using every limb as a may pole.
At one point I found myself using a flipper to foot-lift a root just to untangle all the line he drug out. Yet at another I thought I lost him because tension gave on the line. Slamming back taunt- my fears were put aside as more tangled line became undone. How I landed him I still don’t know- because here is the real shocker…
He was foul hooked in the face! Doesn’t matter it still counts!
It was by far the most all around awkward catch I’ve had to date. And for only fly fishing for a year that doesn’t say much, but it was still weird. In the end I won and got my photo op- even though I’m still slightly dizzy.
At the time of fish submission this ups me to second place and only 5 points off the leader! Go me!
See you on the high ground,
AirborneAngler
Today’s topic of D-Day plus 42 (D+42) is a deviation of the Everyday in May challenge. For more info click here. For all AirborneAngler Everyday in May posts click here.
Shoreline
This image is a work of a United States Coast Guard service personnel or employee, taken or made during the course of that person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image or file is in the public domain (17 U.S.C. § 101 and § 105, USCG main privacy policy and specific privacy policy for its imagery server). The title bar is a photo filter edit done by AirborneAngler.
Shoreline
Take just a moment. It doesn’t have to be long. But as we set out to enjoy the Memorial Day weekend, (perhaps on a shoreline swimming or fishing one), pause to reflect on the heros who paid the ultimate sacrifice to defend our cherished freedoms. Remember the soldiers on the beaches of Normanday fighting to the shoreline or the Marines at Tripoli. Remember those out there today, maybe not on the shoreline but definitely in the sand. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture- just simple reflection to pause and remember. Then enjoy the weekend because this is what they would want and why we fight today. God Bless.
See you on the high ground,
AirborneAngler
Today’s topic of Shoreline is a prompt of the Everyday in May challenge. For more info click here. For all AirborneAngler Everyday in May posts click here.
Memory- or lack thereof
Pro Tip number one: It’s a good idea to diversify your fly boxes.
Pro Tip number two: It is not a good idea to leave them all at home- minus the one called ‘the rejects’ on spur of the moment outings. Especially after the rejects that actually catch fish have been removed to surplus aforementioned fly boxes- thus leaving only the true ‘rejects’.
See you on the high ground,
AirborneAngler
Today’s topic of Memory- or lack thereof, is a modified prompt of the Everyday in May challenge. For more info click here. For all AirborneAngler Everyday in May posts click here.
Sun Safety
I’ve gone Howler green! In teaching equality in the infantry we often jest and say that there are only two kinds of soldiers- light green and dark green. The moral being we are all green. Regardless of being light green or dark green we all need to wear camouflage and sunscreen. Well, now I say y’all need to go Howler green like me. It’s good protection from the sun.
Protection from the sun is important to everyone; airborne and angler alike. Now there are some out there (prior to myself included) who are hard headed about protection from the sun. I hate wearing oily, greasy, nasty sun screen. And long sleeves never seem the option until I tried out the Howler Bros Loggerhead Longsleeve (in Tuscan green of course- closest thing to OD they had).
I think the shirt is aptly named because I was a loggerhead before not being concerned about sun protection. Here’s what I like about it: 1) it’s light weight; 2) I can wear it on or off the water; 3) but most of all- the thumb loops!
I did two separate outing trips to try this thing out. I thought I couldn’t be sold on long sleeves in the beginning stages of the impending Texas heat- I was wrong. The micro mesh adds the right amount of light weight sun barrier protection to keep you from burning your biscuits- thus keeping you cooler than sans-sleeves. Then, because it’s not water logging cotton it dries fast as an added on bonus. I just happen to like the thumb loops for the comfort factor my issued silk shirt has.
I’ll be ordering the Diamond (light khaki) colored one by payday. It’s worth the price if you can fork for it. (Brace yourself- kinda.) Don’t lie and say you can’t. You lie because you’re an angler. You fly fish already so you can probably cut it. And like I said- its worth it. Field tested and angler approved!
See you on the high ground,
AirborneAngler
Today’s topic of Sun Safety is a modified prompt of the Everyday in May challenge. For more info click here. For all AirborneAngler Everyday in May posts click here.
Runoff
One word: runoff. Three more words: not there yet. At least not in Texas anyways. We’ve finally enjoyed some rain early this year after a scorching previous year. But one look at Lake Travis a few days back and it’s easy to see; we still need more.
I was pleased to see people unite some last summer in the dry heat. Cardboard signs in rural areas read: Pray for Rain. And we did. We all did.
I was also thankful after the early and much needed downpours to see another sign that read: Thank Him for the Rain.
Lest we forget. Thank you. But runoff? Not there yet.
See you on the high ground,
AirborneAngler
Today’s topic of Runoff is a prompt of the Everyday in May challenge. For more info click here. For all AirborneAngler Everyday in May posts click here.
The AirborneAngler 