My Free Fishing Day Report

So, I'm a slacker. I forgot to notify everyone that this past weekend was free fishing in NY. No license required.

My mom wanted to go fishing with me (it's a spectator sport) but when she saw the news report saying this past weekend you didn't need a license, she decided to pick up the rod and try it out...for her first time ever.

Dad caught two, mom caught none.

Checking out the fake foam alligator head

Dads sunfish, he also caught a bass

If you are interested in fishing for free, or taking someone out for free, I'm almost positive it's always the first weekend of bass season. Check it out for 2012.

A Change In My Morning Routine

Last week was the last week my kids had school for the next few months. Summer vacation has begun for the kids.

What does this mean to me? I no longer will have to make sure my son is up at 6am and getting ready to fake a shower before watching tv for school. I usually wake him up and leave for work within a few minutes. But now I can get up and FISH before work. Of course, since the sun is up just after 5am, and I start at 6:30am, I don't have much time, but the option is still there.

High hopes to see more sunrises in my future.

I'm Not Fishing Tonight, But You Should

Today, or more specifically at 17:16 hours, it is the Summer Solstice.

What does that mean? It means it's the longest day of daylight of the year, and it means that I'm not fishing tonight. Historically I look forward to today thinking I'll take off and go fishing till almost 9:30pm, but historically something comes up and I never get out fishing. At least I've figured out the pattern and wont be disappointed when I don't get to fish!

However, with a baseball game tonight for my son, and a pond nearby, I might get another 15 minute fishing trip in before the game starts. But that's hardly using the time that mother nature has provided.

If you get out today/tonight, send me some photos and I'll post them up for everyone to see your success!

My Attempt To Feather A Head

Maybe you've heard of Feather Heads. Maybe you have not. Well, I have, and as a fly tier I couldn't sit by and let this fad go crazy......without trying to put a feather in my daughters hair.

Starting off I thought I'd probably be able to do it, after all, I had watched a news report on the subject on the internet. See, I'm well qualified.

I started off with some feathers, beads, dental threader, wire, and wire cutters.....oh, and a very cooperative daughter. In the end, I had broken wire, broken beads, and a broken dental threader.....and failure.

I determined that the fly tying beads were not the right bead for the project. The beads big enough to pass some hair through, were too strong for me to crimp. The smaller beads I could crimp, but I couldn't get enough hair into them.

So, it's either back to the drawing board.....or back to the fly tying desk!

And The Winner Is......PIZZA ! ! !

Oxfam International did a survey a few months ago to find out the favorite foods of people around the world.

And guess what.....in the USA the winner is PIZZA!!! 

Proud to be an American!

.....and that's a huge win....almost twice the votes of the next highest....steak.

So, from the staff at Guys, Flies & PIES.....I think this calls for some celebration! (I think the french bread microwave pizza in the freezer will have to do for now.)

If you are not from the USA and are considering starting up your countries best fly tying party that includes food, you may want to consider these names for your group, instead of Guys, Flies & Pies.

Netherlands - Guys, Flies & Pasta
Russia - Guys, Flies & Meat
Guatemala - Guys, Flies & Chicken
Spain - Guys, Flies & Paella
UK - Guys, Flies & Steak
Australia - Guys, Flies & Chocolate
Brazil - Guys, Flies & Lasagna
Ghana - Guys, Flies & Fufu
Kenya - Guys, Flies & Ugali
Pakistan Guys, Flies & Vegetables
Tanzania - Guys, Flies, Bananas & Meat

Spey Nation 2011

2 weekends from now is Spey Nation 2011.

www.speynation.com

"Spey Nation offers the unique opportunity for enthusiasts and manufacturers of 2 handed rods to gather in a streamside setting.   The Location is the Pineville Boat Launch on the Salmon River in Pineville, NY."

In addition to testing out 2 handed rods you'll find burgers and drinks all provide free of charge by The Oak Orchard Fly Shop and various other companies showing off their stuff.

Vegetarians welcome!

Make sure to check out www.speynation.com for details and a detailed map of the location, keep in mind the closest bridge is out so a detour is required.

If you go, wear your GFP t-shirt and you'll get in for free*!!!


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* - Spey Nation is already a free event, but wearing your GFP shirt will bring you great luck both on the water and with the ladies!

A Great Morning For Bass

This past Saturday I was finally able to get out with a friend who I've fished with since we were kids. Ché (pronounced like Chay) met me at the house at 6:30am and we headed out for a few of my favorite local ponds.

First stop was Bronze Leaf where there is little access to a the pond which is only .3 acres in size. This is the smallest pond that I consistently fish. Weeds on the shore, and a few trees, makes it hard to fish with more than 1 person for any length of time.

Within a few minutes Ché caught a bluegill. I quickly missed a few fish then realized we needed to move on to the next place....which has more room for the both of us and a greater chance for more bass than sunfish.

First Fish

Next stop was at Twin Rock pond where we found bass willing to fight with us. Within a few casts we were catching bass after bass.

Time for some bass

Ché with a bass

We even caught a few sunfish.

This picture makes him look smaller than he was

Ché caught a nice 13 inch bass...

13 inch largemouth bass

...but the biggest fish of the day with a nice 16 inch largemouth bass that Ché caught.

Ché with a 16 inch largemouth bass

16 inches (After further review, I'll agree it's 15.5 inches)

My largest of the morning was a 13.5 inch bass.

In the end he caught 17 fish and I caught 27...all were bass except a few.

This was by far the most productive few hours of fishing yet this year!

Checking The Mail and Catching Bass

Any of you who are lucky enough to follow my personal Facebook page may have seen my post about getting out fishing yesterday for about 20 minutes. My cousin seemed surprised how I fished for just a few minutes and commented "Oh, so it's just like fillin' up the gas tank, huh? Pick up the mail--catch a few trout, head home."

YES IT IS!!!

I'll take any chance to fish, and with 5 kids, 1 wife, and a yippy dog, there are a lot of schedules to coordinate and a lot of time spent playing taxi driver. So whenever I have a few minutes between responsibilities and find myself close to a pond, I'll swing over, crank the AC (for the wife and kids left in the van) and fish it for as little as a few minutes.

That's how I do it, and that's how it's done!

Here's what I caught!