D-Day plus 107 (D+107)
Well it’s about time isn’t it? No I was not lost out on patrol- but I was on patrol fly fishing the heck out of my float tube. Only until yesterday- I had nothing to report.
I’ve been out handfuls of times since the last Texas Hill Country Mixed-Bag battle tracking update flutter kicking my float tube up and down the river. In short I will cover the near-misses.
There was a 10″ fresh water drum I was excited about on the Colorado River I caught a few weeks back.
The excitement was short lived when I checked to see that 14″ was the minimum. But the biggest near miss was my cell phone; a $500.00 fail. Out on the Guadalupe River just above Canyon Lake I met up with an old Airborne buddy to chase- well anything with fins. That excitement was also short lived when I dropped my Otterbox encased phone into 11′ of water. Repeated dives did not even recover the body. Although we grabbed randomly and several rocks near the same shape and size.
Lastly, I’d show you a picture of a near miss trout, but the Guadalupe hasn’t been kind to me and I don’t have one of those either. 3 skunk attempts tells me she does not like me. So why, with all this failure am I posting you ask?
Because I win.
I mean that I’ve won a moral victory anyway- the contest isn’t over yet but I’m riding high back in second! Judges will likely have to confirm that it is Guadalupe Bass, but man was this one a beaut. Dave and I spent 13 hours on the water and this unconfirmed Guadalupe Bass was caught roughly within the first half hour. That’s all the points the Guad would cough up for me that day. But even if it gets reassigned to a smallie- it’s only worth more points.
Winning.
See you on the high ground,
AirborneAngler
***Update*** As it turns out my Guadie is in fact judged to be a Smallmouth Bass. ***That is all***
Shakespeare Shall Sustain Thee
PFC is not just a rank in the Army of Private First Class. It should also be an acronym for every angler. That acronym being, Pre Fishing Checklist- Pro Tip, write that down.
This past weekend I made a trip down to the Llano River over in Castell, Teaxs. It’s a beautiful stretch of the Llano river marked by stretches of rocky veins networking through the water. The clear water and the deep scattered pools are well known for holding the precious Texas Guadalupe Bass. A Guad was exactly what I was looking for too. I needed one for the Mixed Bag tourney.
Listen anglers, I’m going to make an admission I may have mentioned before. Brace yourself because it goes against our mantra of the early bird gets the worm. Or, er, the early angler gets the fish. Whatever- but I hate mornings. I am not the get up at o’dark thirty type and my sergeants have always hated me for that. When I did get up an hour late I loaded up as fast as I could and hauled on over to the Llano river.
What I baffled me more than the Rooster hanging out in front of the General Store was that I forgot my reel. My options?
a) go back home and call it a loss,
b) go home and get my reel for a 5hr round trip, or
c) purchase the Shakespeare 3pc set at the General Store for fifty bones.
Begrudgingly I opted for option C.
I’m accustom to my Ross reel and Rio line. But- while not pretty, the reel (which is just a line holder anyways) served its purpose. While I was not impressed with the “fly line” that came with the set- it too served its purpose.
So when in a pinch and in too long of a pickle… Shakespeare will sustain you. Or you cam conduct PFCs. You didn’t actually think I’d be quoting old Bill did you?
See you on the high ground,
AirborneAngler
Bartholomew
For anyone who cares what I listen to when I fly fish- below are the lyrics to “Bartholomew” by The Silent Comedy.
“Oh my God
Please help me, knee deep in the river tryin’ to get clean
He says wash your hands, get out the stains
But you best believe, boy, there’s hell to pay
Yeah you best believe, boy, there’s hell to pay, sayin’
Come on
Oh my God
Please help me, waist deep in the river, can you hear my plea?
He says, son, you come like a beggar in the streets
You might make it, boy, but by the skin of your teeth
You might make it, boy, but by the skin of your teeth, sayin’
I rambled with the worst of them
Fell in love with a harlequin
Saw the darkest hearts of men
And I saw myself starin’ back again
And I saw myself starin’ back again
Oh my god
Please help me, neck deep in the river screamin’ for relief
He says, it’s mine to give, but it’s yours to choose
You’re gonna sink or swim, you’re gonna learn the truth
No matter what you do you’re gonna learn the truth sayin’
Ate the bread that once was stone
Fell from a cliff, never broke a bone
Bowed down to get the kings overthrown
And I’m all alone and the fire grows
And I’m all alone and the fire grows
La la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la
Sing sweet charity (La la la la la la la la la la la)
Take what’s left of me (La la la la la la la la la la la)
A new beginning or is this the end? (La la la la la la la la la la la)
Sing sweet Seraphim (La la la la la la la la la la la)
Take me back again (La la la la la la la la la la la)
or watch me make the messes of men (La la la la la la la la la la la)”
Blogging today brought to you at 10,000 feet AGL (above ground level).
See you on the high ground,
AirborneAngler
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.
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.
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 