I recommend you shun me

All right, you're right, I understand, I'll post, but in the words of my dear departed Mother "be careful what you ask for"

I'm prone to exagerate for the sake of a story, but always try to tell the truth when truth matters.

This is true: I traded minnows and crawdads seined in a local creek for my first flyrod (used) at the local baitshop when I was in junior high and used it in farm ponds for years for bass and bluegill. It was fiberglass, I think a 7 weight, 8 ft long. The ferrules stuck and I gave it away to a friend who still uses it as a long-reach crappie fishing pole, to dangle jigs into the spawning beds in heavy cover at a lake in southern Iowa. I want it back pretty bad but don't want to be an Indian giver.

I don't know nearly as much as I'm going to about bugs that live in the water. If they seem to be eating brown ones 3/8 of an inch long, with sideways wings, I look in my box until I find a brownish one about that size and bend the wings or cut them off and try to catch something with it. If I happened to make it myself, so much better. I don't know what to call that bug but I'm learning, and I find that process surprisingly interesting. Especially since I've always been terrified of spiders. Snakes are fine, but spiders tear me up. Too many legs. The more legs something has, the more it weirds me out.

I have three rods now but they're not fancy. I am proud to have functional but well-used, even tattered, gear. Orvis has not asked me to do any modeling.

Some days I'm ill-mannered. I can barely type without using bad slang and swear words. My head is bald as an egg. I am a hopeless loner, but I like people as long as I can approach them warily and have a clear escape route. Those folks I enjoy most roam in the overlaps between hillbilly, beatnik, philosopher, and contrarian. I smoke way too many cigars to buy the good ones, except for special occasions. I just ordered two bundles of "Reserva de Inexpensivo - No Pretensions, Just Good Flavor." I probably drink too much whiskey. I like cheap Jim Beam bourbon, or mid-priced Templeton rye, or Ardbeg scotch, or a whole bunch of other stuff, dammit. They're all good, just different.

I haven't taken the time to learn to post pictures. I disappoint me but just don't want to screw with it. My photos are all in Picasa. If there is a link to show me a quick easy way to do it, I will. But I don't want to make it a big project. The computer eats too much of my time now.

I'll try to post once in a while if you want me to. I have some knowledge but not nearly enough wisdom. Kind of familiar with the spring creeks of NE Iowa. Trout and smallies up there. Intimately familiar with every single drainage in SE IA where I live, warmwater fish only here. I look for Indian relics in these local streams. If we had trout AND smallmouth AND relics in my home water, I'd never have to go anywhere. No, that is not true. I would still need to explore.

This board has been a good read for me in the past. Maybe what I can give back is a bent perspective on life, and some helpful info on Iowa for members who might want to know.

That is, presuming you decide to keep me. You ought to think that over a bit before you say yes.

flintchips

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Originally Posted by flintchips

If they seem to be eating brown ones 3/8 of an inch long, with sideways wings, I look in my box until I find a brownish one about that size and bend the wings or cut them off and try to catch something with it.

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That right there is most of what you need to know. About the only other thing to know is that next* month the yellowish ones should be hatching, so you might want to have some with you. (*For example. It does depend on the month.)

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Originally Posted by flintchips

Some days I'm ill-mannered. I can barely type without using bad slang and swear words. My head is bald as an egg. I am a hopeless loner, but I like people as long as I can approach them warily and have a clear escape route.

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You and I are going to get along just fine...

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Originally Posted by flintchips

I smoke way too many cigars to buy the good ones

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that is, as long as we never have to fish together.

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Originally Posted by flintchips

presuming you decide to keep me.

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If they don't, it's their loss.


flintchips

Mind if I call you "flinty"? Seems to fit. Anyway, stick around if they'll let you.

You sound very familiar to me,just can't quite put my finger on it..........wait a minute.......oh yeh a bit like me......... :lol: :wave:

Feel free to call me whatever feels right to you.

Flintchips are one of the types of rock I watch for when I'm poking around in the fields and streams looking for relics - indicative of past Native American presence. But I get your drift. I did come off a bit cranky. I am a bit cranky.

I'm in S. Illinois right now on a work trip, hoping to be supremely effective so I can feel good about swinging over into Missouri on the way home for a get-away day on Friday or Saturday. I don't know yet where to go; don't know my way around in that fine state like I know Iowa. Hoping to stumble around a bit in one of the wild trout streams that I have not yet explored. Catching a fish would be a real bonus, but I don't care if I skunk, just really need to get out in the woods. Carrying a full complement of cigars, my camera, St Croix 4-weight, fleece and poly, good waders, completely worn-out boots, and a positive attitude.

flintchips

Welcome. You should do ok here, not too many bug experts(not that there is anything wrong with that).

Bugs? Bugs?! Heck who even considers them? Anything small & fuzzy & feathered works about as well as anything else. Don't get lost in all that pseudo-scientific match-the-hatch stuff. :D

Well, I'm pleased to learn that you all don't get all hung up on phylums and etc. Too much order in life can cause nervous ticks.

I did not get to go to Missouri to fish. It's painfully evident that I am not the ruler of my kingdom. I am a serf to my masters, of which I have several. None of them understand my Needs.

When I do go fishing, hopefully soon, I will post information about my adventures, including the number of cigars burnt.