As another big winter storm bears down on the Mid-Atlantic, I'm sitting here thinking about all the little things anglers do to stay sane when you just can't get out. If you're a fishing forum reader like I am, you'll notice a giant boost in nostalgic "this one day back in October" posts. Misery loves company, even if that company is digitally connected. There are countless local fishing forums on the web that cater to almost every nook and cranny of the country. Question is, do you think they're worth a lick?

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While watching the Super Bowl last night, I got pigskin fever. Pigskin, I recalled, is an old term for a football. Then my addled brain tumbled in sequence to fried pork skins, which are a fantastic snack food.

Like me, you’ve probably fished with pig skins also. Who among you hasn’t rigged a bass jig with an Uncle Josh pork frog or tipped a Johnson’s Silver Minnow with a strip of cured white rind?

Uncle Josh used to make fried skins, too, as people food instead of bass food. But for some reason I can’t find them online any more. So maybe they decided fish bait is better business and quit that sideline.

And that all reminded me of closely-related pork cracklings, the crispy brown bits you get when rendering pork lard or frying down strips of salt pork. As a little kid on family camping trips, I distinctly remember to this day the sounds and smells of frying salt pork as my mother cooked it on a big griddle over a fire, thereby extracting enough grease to then fry some smallmouth bass fillets. I hung around for... [ Read Full Post ]

You all know how this works.  Write your best caption below and we will pick what we consider the best one and award you a prize.

The winner this week scores big time with a pair of Korkers Guide Wading Boots complete with their famous interchangeable sole and BOA "lace" system.  They retail for $179.99

Good luck, and may the best caption win.

TR [ Read Full Post ]

Some of you may (or may not) have noticed I failed to post a blog Tuesday. Sorry. I was too busy saving my sanity by doing a little extreme winter fishing. All I can say is, man, did it ever feel good to bend a rod. I'm not going to tell you much about it because the outcome of this trip will be showcased very soon in the first "Hook Shots" video episode of the year. Although I'm guessing many of you will figure it out even though I carefully and strategically censored the photo below. But now onto what has certainly been plaguing your minds...the caption contest winner from last week.

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So here’s what I’m wondering about this morning: When it comes to nylon monofilament fishing lines, who is using what? There’s a huge array of brands and styles out there, so I’m curious to know what your response--and that of others--might be.

Fair is fair, so here’s what I use. Most often, it’s Berkley Big Game mono in various sizes because it’s fairly consistent, predictable, and--most of all--cheap. A 10-pound-test spool containing 1,500 yards sells for about $8 at my area Wal-Mart. Sometimes I want a little extra edge and spool up with Trilene Sensation, which is more expensive but a bit smaller in diameter.

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So you know someone who wants to get started in fly fishing. Question number one (which I get asked a lot) is, what type of rod and reel should a newbie start with?

And my answer is, that depends on the person... how old they are, how big they are... whether they do a lot of fishing with conventional tackle, what they plan to fish for, and so forth.

For example, take my nine-year-old son, Paul.  I started him out with the Old Orvis 8-foot 6-weight that I started with (at the age of 18).  For kids, I think the number one criteria for a starter rod is  that it has a slower-to-medium action.  I've often thought that fast 
rods, while wonderful in many ways (and I prefer them myself now) can be a crutch that covers up casting flaws.  In my opinion, it's important to develop a feel for the cast, and instill a natural sense of timing and tempo, especially with younger anglers.  You can build up to fast rods once you have that feel.  Slower is better for starters.  I often dedicate days on the water to fishing with slower,  softer rods, just to polish my own casting during... [ Read Full Post ]

Did you know an asteroid almost hit the Earth on Jan 13? I didn't, either. Not to worry, though. According to this story on Wired.com the asteroid probably wasn't large enough to create any sort of Deep Impact-type carnage.
 
The rock, between 30 and 50 feet across, was not in danger of striking the planet and probably would have burned up in the atmosphere before hitting Earth’s surface, if it had headed our way. The asteroid, dubbed 2010 AL30 was first spotted and announced Monday. It is the closest encounter Earth will have with any known object until 2024.
 
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Trout Unlimited has named Chris Wood, currently TU's chief operating officer, to fill the chief executive officer's position held by Charles Gauvin since 1991.  Wood will take over February 1.

Since Gauvin took the helm of TU at the age of 34, the organization's development has been nothing short of extraordinary.  According to a TU press announcement, back then,

"TU’s budget was $2.5 million and it had approximately 50,000 members. There was just one staff person who worked on conservation issues. [ Read Full Post ]

Speaking of winter projects, have you ever considered building your own boat? I thought about that for a long time, researching boat plans on the Internet and measuring my basement door to see if what I might build would fit through it.

My wife was terrified, wondering if some huge project would linger for years unfinished. Then I got lucky and found the home-made skiff shown here. The guy who made it in his garage soon decided he wanted a bigger boat. So I was able to buy this boat very inexpensively (partly because the resale value of owner-built boats is typically very low).

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Sorry to riff off the Fly Talk blog, but I came across this photo and it was too good to pass up. If I'm not mistaken, it originally ran in a 1912 issue of Field & Stream. And yes, that's a big old porpoise (a.k.a. "Flipper" if you want to make it cute), hanging on a Naples, Florida, dock like a marlin or tuna. Oh my, how things have changed.

So let's have some fun. Whoever writes the best caption wins a Sebile Crankmaster and Flatt Shad...two very fine lures good for bass, walleye, even redfish if that's what you're into. I'll announce the winner at the end of my blog post on Thursday, February 4th. Have at it. -- Joe Cermele [ Read Full Post ]

 
It seems, at least judging by most of the responses to last week's blog, that most guys take the "hey, if they're here might as well hunt them" attitude to invasive species.
 
Then I saw this story and decided to take the question one step further. What invasive species would you consider turning into table fare?
 
From the story:
 
The chef who tried to get us to eat the nutria turns his attention to the invasive carp. Will people buy it?
 
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Mostly I hate jet skis, those fast and noisy personal watercraft often driven by obnoxious kids whose idea of a good time is harassing fishermen or generally tearing up a quiet lake. When I was in my late teens I might actually have enjoyed using one if they had existed back then. But not now.

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