Thursday Outdoor Roundup!

Billings Gazette: Billings Cabelas retail outlet put on hold!!

It appears that the unstable retail market and fading economy are keeping Cabela's from opening 5 of their planned retail outlets this year. The Billings store was planed to open this spring but now it has been put on hold. The local flyshops are probably breathing a sigh of relief for the time being.

http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/01/31/news/local/17-nocabelas.txt

Missoulian: January is History month for Ice Fishing

Ice fishing is well underway throughout the state and fishing derby's are taking place all around the state. The article wraps up ice fishing derby's and some other ice fishing factoids.

http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2008/01/31/outdoors/out32.txt

Denver Post: Aurora gives up big fish!

More ice fishing news from Colorado. Aurora reservoir is home to some whopper perch and the article highlights the reservoir along with other prime ice fishing locations throughout the front range.

http://www.denverpost.com/huntfish/ci_8112991

Rocky Mountain News: Gentry: More bang for the buck for Lopez!

An amazing mule deer buck was shot by 15 year old Kyle Lopez. The buck was scored at 303 5/8 when it was shot and after the required 60 day drying time that Boone and Crocket requires the offical score grew to 306 3/8. Typically horns shrink after the animal has been killed but the original scorer made some errors and the offical score was actually larger than originally thought. What a great deer either way!

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jan/30/dentry-more-bang-for-the-buck-for-lopez/

DRIFT - BAHAMAS TEASER

This short trailer is for a film being put together by my buddies at Yellow Dog Fly Fishing Adventures. This spring they headed to the newly reopened Bang Bang Club in the Bahamas and shot footage of the "Godfather" of bonefishing. The film is being produced by the same guys who work on Warren Miller films and the quality of what they have already put together is second to none. My partner in crime for the past 20 years was fortunate enough to go along on the trip and he brought me back a fly that Charlie tied for me because our fly tying benches are mirror images of each other with all the clutter and mess. I am not sure when the film is scheduled for release but I am anxiously awaiting the day it is availble for our viewing pleasure.

Charlies Bonefish Fly

Charlies Bonefish Fly that he tied for me because his fly bench and mine are mirror images of each other in their clutter and confusion. Thanks guys for thinking about me even though I wasn't there.

I would have added this to the post of the trailer on the film Drift but I could not fiqure out how to get the video and the photo on the same post.

Thursday Outdoor Section Roundup

Week Two outdoor writers roundup.

Bozeman Daily Chronicle.
Hookless Steelhead Fly Fishing
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/T/TRAVEL_OUT_THERE_HOOKLESS_FLY_FISHING_TRVOL?SITE=MTBOZ&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Billings Gazette
Winter Images of Yellowstone Park
http://billingsgazette.net/features/outdoors/

Missoulian
Dreaming about that Secret Lake
http://www.missoulian.com/outdoors/

Great Falls Tribune
BLM unlocks Holter Lake Toilets
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=LIFESTYLE05

The Denver Post
Lead program to be highlighted
http://www.denverpost.com/huntfish

The Rocky Mountian News
Another Winter tradition comes to Denver
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/outdoors/

Off to hit the ice and catch some tasty perch. Enjoy the outdoors roundup, even though there isn't to much of interest in the papers this morning.

20 Below, I guess it's time to hit the ice!

"Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, Teach a man to fish and he will sit on the ice and drink beer all day!"

Fish Hook Eye Surgery

There's a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot. ~Steven Wright


It amazes me the number of clients that show up for trips that do not bring along a pair of sunglasses. I need to keep this video on hand to show them why they need to wear them at all times. I carry a couple of pairs of solar shields for those who forget. The Solar Shields are hideous looking sunglasses that I make clients wear to try and make a point of how important it is to cover your eyes while flies are flying through the air. I wish I had a DVD player in the truck so that I could hammer home my point a little better.

On another subject it has warmed up to -2 this morning and we should actually see temps above zero today. A warming trend is upon us even if it is only in the teens

BRRRRRRRR It's Freezing outside!

Men and fish are alike. They both get into trouble when they open their mouths. ~Author Unknown

Not much to do on a day like today. Air temps this morning were -19 when I awoke and they are forecasting highs to reach the mid single digits. I will be mightly impressed if the temps actually make it out from Below Zero today. Ice fishing is even out of the question. In years past I have braved the elements and headed out on the ice in below zero temps but I guess you can say I am growing up because the idea of sitting on ice when the snot in your nose freezes while you breathe has absolutely no appeal to me anymore. Fly tying and some computer time will have to keep my mind occupied today. Hopefully it may warm up enough to get outside by the end of the week.

Liquid dollar signs falling from the sky.

All the romance of trout fishing exists in the mind of the angler and is in no way shared by the fish. ~Harold F. Blaisdell, The Philosophical Fisherman, 1969

I awoke to about 5 inches of fresh snow this morning. The temp is in the high teens and they are forecasting a bit more snow and then some cooooold weather will be moving in. Ice fishing is looking like a better option than getting out and on the river this weekend. We'll see if the Mike Turd's Three degree guarantee actually is on the mark.

Thursday Outdoor Sections Roundup !

Most of our local papers, including a couple in my native state, have outdoors inserts in their paper. I will try and do a Thursday roundup of the local articles I find of interest in each publication. Most of the articles will have a fishing tone, but if I find something more interesting I will have that instead. I hope anyone checking in finds the links useful or at least entertaining.

Tight Lines, Biggie

Billings Gazette

Angler busted twice for taking too many fish!

http://billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/01/17/features/outdoors/38-overthelimit.txt

Bozeman Daily Chronicle

Dave Mckee Article

There aren't enough days in the duck season!

http://pioneer.olivesoftware.com/Daily/Skins/BDChronicle/navigator.asp?skin=BDChronicle

Missoulian

Dreaming about expedition to that secret lake

http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2008/01/17/outdoors/out42.txt

Great Falls Tribune

Boyd Wolverton closing fly shop next month

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080117/LIFESTYLE05/801170321/1055

Denver Post

Fly Wars: Which did you choose!

http://www.denverpost.com/huntfish

Rocky Mountain News

Fly-rod maker Jeff Hatton finds wealth of possibilities in woods!

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jan/16/dentry-citizen-cane/

Cold January Day

May the holes in your net be no larger than the fish in it. ~Irish Blessing

The painting career has been put on hold again as I wait for another job so that I can occupy my time with something other than the computer or making 15 bean soup. The weather is frigid with a projected high near around 20 today and a slight warming trend with highs in the mid 20's by Friday. Too cold to fish on the rivers right now but the Annual Lions Club Perch Derby is just around the corner and it may require a day of R&D before the tournament. Jason and I may give it a try tomorrow, but we will see if it all works out. Just another day in Paradise!!!

Time to start again!

Well, Well, I just had not even thought about the whole blogging thing in quiet some time but I have time on my hands and I thought maybe I would start back at it for a bit. Maybe I will even find the motivation to keep at it through the summer. It sure would be nice to have the days written down to check out for this coming season and look back at what conditions and changes took place.

Here is my son with his grandfather on his first run off the snowflake chair last weekend. I guess I am back in the skiing game.

Bob Jacklin's Fish of a Lifetime