reevesr1

Stay AWAY!!!! They came to our door while I was out. Wife answered. They had her talked into signing up. I came home and asked what was up. Dude told me that we had just signed up for a gas/electric package. I told him I was already in a contract. He said no problem since we had a contract, it wouldn't go through. I did not realize my wife had signed until after he left, but took him at his word that nothing would happen. The stupid mistake was letting him go without taking the paperwork and ripping it up. 2 wks later I get a cancellation bill from Direct Energy. To make a LONG story short, it took several weeks and some strongly worded calls to get them to cancel. Did not seem ethical to me. But I bullied them in to doing what I wanted, which was cancel. They did threaten to charge me cancellation. I think I convinced them their sales guy had a serious ethics issue. My call would be to just say no!

Wish I had read this 1 hr ago. I had to print a new license as I lost my wallet in Texas. As an aside, loosing one's wallet when out of the country is a PAIN!!

Nice Taco!

Teck, Try to stay on topic please.

I'm pretty much done with this, because it is really pointless and way off topic. But fun! But I do have one final question, just to change gears once again. Cuz there is little chance of this ever getting back to the original topic.But one final shot: How fun/informative is it to debate someone who has the same opinion as you? Wouldn't it be rather boring?

100% of fishermen kill some fish in their pursuit of fun. And I would question the 90/10 ratio.

Not sure if this was Lynn, but...... Last year I replaced all the windows in my house with that expensive double-pane energy efficient kind, and today, I got a call from the contractor who installed them. He was complaining that the work had been completed a whole year ago and I still hadn't paid for them. Hellloooo ... just because I'm blonde doesn't mean that I am automatically stupid. So, I told him just what his fast talking sales guy had told me last year, that in ONE YEAR these windows would pay for themselves! Helllooooo? It's been a year! I told him. There was only silence at the other end of the line, so I finally just hung up. He never called back. Guess I won that stupid argument. I bet he felt like an idiot.

Guilty!

Here is a question for all: If ATV'ers = Rednecks hell bent on destruction does Fly fisherman=Morally superior elitist? Just wondering.

Good luck with that one, Ed. Nice Brian! Wish my wife knew me so well!

Can't build anymore of those. They are always in someone's back yard. NIMBYism, and regulations (and not just Environmental) run absolutely amok almost guarantee no new ones will be built anytime soon. I'm no economist, geologist, environmentalist or any other ist for that matter. I do know that the world doesn't really go round and round, it really just swings back and forth like a pendulum. The pendulum right now is swinging to the over-reaction to the pending (and hasn't it been pending, for I don't know ALL OUR FREAKIN' LIVES?!), "Peak Oil" event(though there are economists out there who will tell you there is no such thing. If it is worth enough we will always find more. I'm not saying I believe that, just stating a viewpoint). It's like if we hit "Peak Oil" the whole damn world will just cease to spin. If we really do hit peak oil soon, it does not mean that we are going to run out tomorrow for cripes sake. So next, we will all over react to the price of oil. We will all be driving Prius's and bitching about lack of room in the car. People will be living in Suburbans, or Lynn's 28 ft trailer. Demand will drop, over supply will be the norm and the price will plummet. Now, it will never plummet to $25.00 again. But to think it will stay at $135, IMHO, is crazy. Next, when oil prices bottom out, people will buy big cars, other presently third world countries will start to industrialize because of cheap energy, price of oil will go up, people will speculate that we are running out, price will skyrocket ........ and the pendulum just swings back and forth. I think I've seen this story before, haven't I? Oil embargo, anyone?

Agreed. To get back to the original topic, if that is allowed, I think you should pick up Alberta's Trout Highway, the Forestry trunk road book by Barry Mitchell. He has all the streams along Hwy 40 (The Forestry Trunk Road) and how to fish them If you find someplace that sounds good, get a Backcountry Map book of the area (I think it's the SW Alberta one), find the stream or river and see if there are any marked trails. Maybe even Google Earth it and look? If I knew some, I'd let you know. Good luck.

Man, Stripers on a fly rod would be sweet! Do you catch them in the surf, or out of a boat?

Brian, When your brother is there, have him contact me. There are awesome fly fishing opportunities in South Texas in skinny water for reds and trout. There are also some people on this board from Houston who can tell him about fly fishing opportunities in Houston for carp, catfish, etc (which I had no idea existed). If he is adverse to bait, and lots of people are, no problem. Catching them with a "bass pole" and bait casting gear with artificial lures is a kick as well. The opportunities are pretty endless. As to fish eating in G. Bay, here are a couple of links: Upper Galveston Bay Advisory West Bay Advisory "Galveston Bay" is actually 4 bay systems: West Bay, East Bay, Trinity Bay, and Galveston Bay. The main bay systems are no issue. But the ship channel areas are.

Should I state the obvious?

No. I think that if I had started with topwater flies instead of plugs, I might have caught a couple. But the places I was fishing only tend to be productive at all on top early in the morning and I couldn't bring myself to start the day with such limited casting distance, particularly since I started each day casting into a stiff breeze.

Thanks Rob. The funny thing is I actually have no issue at all with keeping fish to eat here. It is a totally different (obviously) eco-system, which is being pretty well maintained. More threat from industry than fishermen, frankly. I got out with my uncle, cousin, and brother today. Cuz, bro and I were wading, uncle in the boat. I went a different direction than the other two and was rewarded with a couple of fish on topwaters pretty quickly. But the bite died with the end of the tide at 6:30. So back to the boat to get the fly rod to change tactics. My uncle asked me how I did, and I said I'd caught a couple and missed a couple. "Where are they?" "Let 'em go." He looked at me in disgust. I almost burst out laughing. He said "I think that's just like hunting and not keeping what you kill." I said "I don't care." Not a snappy reply, I know. The reality is I don't keep becasue I don't want too anymore, unless for my mom. I don't keep around my relatives just to piss 'em off. Only because I love 'em! I did keep a couple of trout for my uncle later. He needed some for dinner, and noone else seemed to be stepping up. All in all, a great trip. Not the best fishing, but great fun none the less.

Hawg, Sure is. Just south of Houston, very near Galveston.

Topwater fly. I did have one chase it today, but no hookup. Sunday, hopefully.

I casted the clouser for awhile longer with no luck. My two buddies were starting to stick a few. I switched to a streamer I bought for the Bow, but liked the color for saltwater because it reminded me of an effective soft plastic color. Didn't take long.... I must say that I was not AT ALL disappointed in the fight that time! The trout was only a couple of inches bigger, but put on a much better account of himself! Anyway, we ended up with 20 or so. I put the fly rod down not long after the second fish because it was just too tough with the wind. I caught several more using more traditional methods. No less fun, I gotta say. Here is Rick with a little surprise: While most fish were released, we did keep a few for my mom: The rod I am using is a 8 wt. Sage a friend in Calgary built. I'm somewhat addicted to it and may not give it back. Wish I could have used my 5 wt, but the wind was just too brutal. Rick and Riley, thanks a ton for the day! Next time I'm home we'll head down to Matagorda and let Rick put us on some bigger fish! Day 3: Went out with my cousin and brother. Same general area. I started this time with bait, and had a fish in the first couple of minutes, as did Chris (the cousin, and another aspiring young guide). Switched to a topwater, just because: Just after I caught the trout on the topwater, my brother noticed me releasing it. He said "we're not doing catch and release are we?" I said "you can do whatever you want, I'm releasing mine." I started calling him "10 Fish Ain't Enough." (the limit in Texas is 10). Actually, if he ever tells his wife I'm releasing my fish, she may kick my ass. They are way good to eat, and she cooks them in many different and all delicious ways. But it really annoys my brother and cousin when I release them, so it's really fun for me to let them go! Again, we ended up with 20 or so. I did not contribute much however as my goal was to change methods on every couple of fish. I didn't make it past 3, 2 on bait, 1 on the topwater. I really should have stuck with the topwater more, but that was not the goal. The fly rod let me down, but not for lack of trying. They just weren't hitting anything artificial nearly as well as the day before. Oh well, sure was fun trying! Here is Chris with a nice red: And the results of the day: Day 4: Similar to day three, with a few less fish. Live bait ruled the day again, but I did get one little fish on a clouser. Chris did ok, and he had a couple of friends from Houston and they caught a couple too. I had to go in early to do some work in Houston. When we left, I realized I had no idea where my wallet was. I was hoping against hope it was in the car, but I knew the last place I remember it being was in the right front pocket of my wade pants. And I knew in my heart I had never taken it out and that it must have fallen out when I jumped in the water. Turns out I was right as it wasn't in the car. Fortunately, I have my passport and was able to get an emergency Amex card here in Houston. Crappy end to the day, but doesn't detract from the fun (much). Tomorrow is golf, and more fishing on Sunday. I still need to get one on a topwater fly.........

Finally got my mom's computer up and running, so I thought I would post some pictures of my trip back home. First stop was the local tackle shop. I was recently asked how big the tackle shops are back home. Here is the answer. This place is advertised as the worlds biggest tackle shop. No hunting, camping stuff here. Fishing only. I actually try to stay away because a hole always seems to form in my wallet. Picked up a couple of local flies and some information. Note the big marlin on the roof: I didn't really fish much the first morning. Just drove around to a few places that I fished as a kid when I didn't have a boat and later as an adult when I didn't feel like messing with the boat. Those of you who've fished the coast might notice a couple of slicks to go with the sunrise: Fished for an hour or so. Didn't catch anything, but didn't really expect to. More just practicing casting in the gale force wind at my back. As it turned out, I needed the practice. Took this picture from the levee system that protects my home town, Texas City, from hurricane flood waters. This is taken looking back towards town, the bay is at my back. You will see the refineries. They stretch for 5 miles or so. I get a bit annoyed whenever I read someone who doesn't want any industry anywhere near where they live. I grew up with refineries. If you don't want industry where you live, go live in a cave and quit using anything developed from chemicals. You don't get a car. We've done our bit where I'm from. It's other peoples turn. (Sorry for the quick rant. I just hijacked my post, in the post itself. That's gotta be a first.) Ok, so on to the fishing. Day 2 was with a couple of buddies I used to work with. One is a fantastic fisherman, and an aspiring guide. One is from Oklahoma. The spot was a place I've fished a lot of times with my dad, and several times with Rick, the aspiring guide. It was really windy (and it stays windy for the whole trip so far), but the water clarity wan't too bad. We pulled in and got excited by all the bait and obvious trout feeding signs. I started the day off by sticking a nice trout right off the bat working a topwater bait. For those of you who've never experienced a predatory fish attacking a surface lure, suffice to to say it will get your heart started. Big lure, 16" fish (not so big!): Continued to get blowups on the lure, but couldn't hook any more up. My buddy was having the same problem. I actually tried topwater poppers with the fly rod with absolutely no success. One blowup in 50 casts or so over the course of the trip. Need to work on that. So we all went subsurface and located some the Oklahoman and I located some fish: I figured if an Okie could catch one, they must be thick. I went back to the boat and got the fly rod. Tied on a chartruese and white Deceiver that Wayne Hanson tied for me, cast out, let it sink, one strip and: and the release: See why we call them Specks? My first "keeper" trout on a fly rod! I must say I was slightly disappointed in the fight. But my disappointment didn't last long!

Its been so long since I've fried a fish I forgot how damn good it is. Got a few this morning, story to follow (I'm on my blackberry, I'll have internet access tomorrow). In a nutshell, its HOT and WINDY!! Fish gotta eat though, and I gave em some options to chew on today. Released most of them, but did bring some home for mom. Tomorrow is "I'm a Fish Whore" day. The goal is: One on a popper fly One subsurface (streamer, clouser, whatever). One on a traditional topwater lure One on a subsurface soft plastic bait One on live bait. Sort of a single species super slam. We'll see how she goes. Edit: Can someone drive to Carsland and get me some bait?

Bowfin! Haven't thought of shoepick (what we called them when I was a kid) in years. Hardest fighting fresh water fish I know of (I haven't caught carp though). Used to love catching them in Louisiana. Can't imagine one on a fly rod!

Saw this making the rounds at COP. Sent it to my brother in Texas. Participate!!

6 deceivers and two big clousers on the left, 2 big watermelon green streamers I bought for the bow and some0pink thing on the right. I'm bringing a couple of 8 wts. One tfo and one hand built 9'6" on a0 sage blank a friend gave me to take. The sage will be the primary!