I needed a break from the office yesterday, so I went back to the pond to relax and enjoy the afternoon sunshine. I cranked the fly rod and tossed a tiny cork popper from the pond's pier.

This fish became fillets for the farmer and his wife who own the pond. Tomorrow it's back to the grind with back to back 3-hour gigs, a 4-hour gig on Saturday, magazine article Sunday, three newspaper columns Monday, and Tuesday I'm headed back to the pond. Anyone want to go fishing?

Gary

Looks like you're following your own advice and "takin' time to smell the roses". Good for you, Gary.

Gary....good catch...that looks like a Stripper...(Rock Bass) is it???
Tony Rome

Tony,

You hit the nail right on the head--it's a striper. Weighed about 4 pounds and hit like a freight train. Lots of fun on an 8-weight fly rod.

Gary

Gary . you get any skinnier, that fish's baby brother is going to pull you OFF that dock ...
t.

I don't like killing animals!!!
If I wouldn't do so maybe I would also come fishing...

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Greetings from Frankfurt (Germany),
Sheriff ;-)

[This message has been edited by Sheriff (edited 05-20-2005).]

Danny,

You can go fishing with any time you wish. We'll just catch and release them--not a problem, and most of the time that's what I do.

Comon' over,

Gary

Gary,

Maybe you can show Don how to catch fish that's if you can get him off the golf course.

Tony...
There is a big difference between a "stripper" and a "striper".
If Gary was catching strippers, Carol wouldn't let him go fishing...EVER!

Eddie

Nice striper Gary. Makes me wanna fire up the ol' jon-boat and go fish the Upper Delaware. Caught a few nice ones in there over the years, and it's almost walking distance from here.

Just came back from NH and some nice trout streams. The conditions were less than optimum ( very cold and streams running high ), but the White Mountains are very nice to look at and very peaceful.

AJ

Eddie...you are so right...this is what happens when you try to make your fingers go as fast as your brain..then there is the "OLD TIMERS" pause....and as far as Gary and Carole are concerned, when all you folks get down here and go fishing here both Caroles will want to come back fishing always...I hope to see all you folks down here in Sept. for a great time......
Tony Rome

Eddie,

Just how does one catch a stripper? Don't tell Pat I asked.

You lure them with a BIG hook..

AKA $100,00 bill
Bebop

Hey Bill...do you mean to say that you still have $100.00 bills laying around....I can put them to good use down here......
Tony

Gary..looks like you really know how to enjoy life.
Great Pic.

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...shboom

Shboom,

Some days are like that, days when I can get out of the office and do neat things like build a rock garden, go fishing, take photos, and sometimes, just take a walk down to the creek that runs through my place and watch the world go by. Then there are those days like today when I punched out three newspaper colums, each of which was about 3,500 words, then shot some setup photos to go with them. Tomorrow, another newspaper article and a magazine article. Sure wish I could catch some "strippers" with that 8-weight fly rod though--NAH! She would kill me.

Gary

Gary, any trout in that creek?

I don't think I know 3,500 words.
Eddie



[This message has been edited by btweengigs (edited 05-24-2005).]

When I first moved here, which was 35 years ago, the stream was fast-flowing, crystal clear and ice cold--loaded with brook trout to 14 inches. Today, because of upstream development of the watershed, the stream is down to a trickle, it turns to chocolate with the lightest rain shower, and water temperatures in the summertime get into the upper 70s--much to warm to support any species of trout. It's a damned shame what people worldwide have done to our environment in the name of progress.

Gary

Yes! 100%!!! Yes!!!

Our mother nature is holy! Unfortunality the most of us have forgotten!!!

Gary,
I don't even have my license yet this year. I've been busy. I just ordered a new Yanagisawa Tenor Sax and a P Mauriat Tenor Sax.
The guys on the Sax Forum really bragged about these two horns. They cost a little bit more than the PSR3000 and these guys are comparing them to the $5000 and $6000 Selmers Saxes.

I think I'll go to the store for a license and go fishing tomorrow after seeing you in this picture. If I want to catch something that big, I'll have to go to Lake Powell or back to New Orleans.

Man after looking at you and Donny lately I'm gonna have to buy that Southbeach Diet Book. I mean you guys are skinner than me now and ya'll used to be fat. Let me repeat that! Ya'll was fat!

Maybe you guy's have more will power than myself and others. You're both to be commended. Way to go.

Gary, it is a shame when something like that happens. It's an even bigger shame when it happens to a good trout stream. We still have a few good trout creeks up here in Michigan. I hope the newer environmental laws will keep them that way.

Tom