Timestepper

Caught my biggest brown while fishing for what ya'll down here call rock fish (stripers). (I was using a 4 inch plug painted to look like a rainbow fingerling.)

Bring your notes along when you come - maybe I can learn something from myself!

Thing is, I've caught quite a few wild 'bows and they haven't become addicted to trout chow yet - for those interested in catching hatchery fish I always suggest a "size 16 pinky" (garlic flavored salmon egg). And I managed to stop myself before I gave away my secret weapon for the big browns in the stretch above Clear Water shoals.

That's the one! I've caught more fish on the Clinch with that one particular pattern than with everything else combined - and there are several Blue Fox patterns to choose from which work well in other trout streams. I use that pattern almost exclusively when fishing the various shoals and eddies and almost only then. I go back to a rooster tail or Panther Martin for flat water depending upon depth, sunlight and shadow. When the water is rising behind me I might switch over to a Mepps #2 with a squirrel tail skirt and toss it upstream and, keeping it close to the bottom, retrieve it slowly back down to the canoe. Holy crap, I'm giving away all my freakin' secrets!

1/8 & 1/16 oz. rooster tails in brown and yellow work good for me, as do yellow & black Panther Martins. And I can't forget 1/8 oz Blue Fox in the Shiner pattern (in fact, that's been - for me - the single most productive pattern). What I really like to do when I'm floating is have two rods rigged with two different patterns because I've come to think of different sections in terms of which spinner pattern works best there. I.,e., "This section is Panther Martin water, but I'm coming up on Blue Fox water and just below that is a good rooster tail hole..." And I'm looking forward to Dave not only putting his toe in the Clinch, but maybe even his whole body if he out-fishes me and I can catch him with his back turned! Just kidding, Dave! Can't wait to see you guys and share a little of my favorite river with you! ...Don...

I find myself more and more to be a lot less accepting of anybody who sets out to prove something with any kind of agenda.

One last big THANK YOU FOR YOUR SACRIFICE! to all of our fallen heroes before I hit the road on this Memorial Day. YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN! :usa:

God I love these threads! I already know of one person who quit carrying altogether because CC wasn't practical (or in most cases, even possible) and he was tired of being ostracized by the 'I don't care what you do, but if it's anything CC, you're stupid' crowd on public firerarms forums - was even approached by one member in public and lectured about his stance on OC! So let's keep this going and see how many more people we can alienate into submission. These threads rock!

If there were an emoticon here for burying one's head in the sand, I would gladly use it towards myself if it would make you feel better. If you perceive this as a real and present danger to yourself then you have every right to worry! When I lived in Kansas I didn't worry about trees falling on my house because I didn't have much in the way of trees on my property close enough to reach the house if they fell. Here in East Tennessee I have literally wall to wall trees and it's a real concern, but I no longer worry about Winter blizzards piling snow six feet deep in my driveway. In other words, I pick and choose and prioritize my worries according to the likelihood that they'll actually occur. If the cops have to call for directions, then I doubt that I have to worry very much about the likelihood that they'll break in and hold me and mine at gunpoint because someone hacked my phone. At the same time, I hope and pray that it never happens to you and, again, I promise to worry about it your behalf later on if you'll just be patient. For right now though, I'm still more worried about whether or not I'll be able to move the new rabbit hutch by myself from where it's at to where I want it so yours will just have to wait for a little while - I PROMISE I'll get to it as soon as possible.

To paraphrase John Wayne: Life is tough. It's tougher when you're stupid. Mixing alcohol with stupid makes it even tougher yet...

What I do, after all these threads, is to simply no longer admit to carrying at all, in any fashion. When and if I meet a fellow TGO'er, they can decide for themselves what I do and how I do it. Or not...

:usa:

The cops have been summoned to our place one time, at my request, because of something I'd found on our property that "made me uncomfortable." They had to call us back and ask for directions because they couldn't find our house. So no, I'm not overly concerned about them breaking in and holding us at gunpoint when they can't even find us. But again, I promise to worry about it very intensely for a few minutes later this afternoon on your behalf.

All gave some. Some gave all. As much as I don't necessarily care for the perceived direction this country is going in this day and age, I shudder to think where we'd be without the sacrifices these genuine American heroes made on our behalf. Thank you Ladies and Gentlemen, we are forever in your debt...

So when my buddy passed away a while back, after the traditional wake was over with, we could say that he'd been properly waked? Comforting thought. Thank you.

Saw that, frowned at it, chuckled at it. Must be 21st century literary newspeak for "awakened."

Bummer! One of the few times I wish I had cable and a way to record programs.

Ummmm... I'm not gonna' sweat it right now because I haven't had my coffee yet. Is it alright with you if I try to find a couple of minutes later this afternoon to worry about it? (I promise to run around out in the yard and freak out over this for at least a minute and a half as soon as my schedule allows.)

I'm not mad at you either. And I don't disagree with you politically (although you continue to assume that I do), I just don't agree that speed cameras are an inherent evil. (And the only range I use is in my back yard where big brother can't spy on me.) Have a great day - I'll be on the road to Illinois and still refusing to get my panties in a bunch over speed cameras by the time you get back.

Actually, it would appear that you have indeed done exactly that. Go back and read my newly edited post above and it'll all be okay. You hate speed cameras and I'm willing to give up all my freedoms and liberties because I don't really don't give a rat's @ss about them, but I'm the one who needs to take a chill pill and quit taking internet threads personally - I get that. You're right and I'm wrong. If there were a handshake emoticon on here, I'd use it right now to prove my sincerity. Since there isn't, I'll use this one: And this one:

Thank you, Lieutenant Stern, you are not forgotten... :usa:

Never mind. You're right, I'm wrong. There. All better now?

Respectfully suggest you read post #'s 4 & 82. You might find that "we" don't disagree as much as you think we do. (But once again you're suggesting how the rest of us should think and react, "personal" or not.)

Pop passed away due to complications of Alzheimer's on 28 April, 2001. Seldom a day goes by that I don't think about him, but lately he's been on my mind almost constantly and I'm not sure why. I've made a point of not having any regrets in my life, but if I were to have any they would be that my dad never got to meet the lady who is my wife (and who proudly wears the wedding rings he gave my mother, who in turn gifted them to my wife after having worn them for 57 1/2 years) and that, while he never succeeded in having his own writing published, he passed away 10 months before his youngest son (me) became a published author. As a modest and gentle man, Pop would never have claimed greatness. But he could have... :usa:

For God's sake don't faint, but, as a truck driver, I happen to share your opinion on traffic light cameras - my own first post in this thread (post # 4) said as much. Pardon me for not having the same opinion of speed cameras - as I also mentioned in post # 4, at least with a speed camera you have a chance and a choice.