Raccoons!

A few days ago, we had a raccoon invasion in the ten acre woods. A mother and her three kids came by the ten acre woods. This little one in the picture is showing how bad he can be. Wifey couldn't resist these bandits and tossed out some bread.

The outside cat (Spot Nose) watched at a distance. Cats and Raccoons seem to get along okay. I know the cat will not attack the raccoons because raccoons are tough creatures. I have seem the cat swat at the raccoon and even get its claws hung in the raccoon fur, but the raccoon didn't even notice.

The mother raccoon was the boss. She could eat without interruption and even take food away from the little ones. The small raccoons would fight amongst themselves.

I love living in the woods because every day is an adventure. Remember: What's in your woods, river , lake or bay? Get out to find out!

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I'm an official Troutmanizer!

How did I became a troutmanizer, well first a little background. You ever wonder what "Mayfly on the grille with a little hummer means?" Well, hang around and I'll tell you. When I was 13, my dad purchased a fly rod and a box of flys. I halfway learned to use this fly rod in the waters around Nashville. I really enjoyed fishing with it for perch and bass. I quickly learned that there was an art to fly fishing and fly fishing was something special. Lately, I've been thinking about fly fishing again...So...a few weeks ago, I booked a trip to fly fish in the Great Smokey Mountains.

It's always more fun to have a partner, and here's mine, Pop, my father-in-law. A great fishermen, but like me, not much fly fishing experience. Oh yeah, Pop just turned 86 years old and is in great health. He can maneuver over rocks like a cougar. I hope I'm like Pop when I'm 86. Anyway, we met our guide, Eugene in Cherokee, North Carolina and drove a few miles to Bradley Fork Creek near Smokemont. We arrived, parking near the creek. Eugene is local, born and raised in the mountains. I knew I was going to like this guy when he asked..."Where "youns" from?" A mountain slang that is used all the way up into Pennsylvania. My go to word would have been... where "y'all from". Now if I had been up in New York, I may have been asked where "yous guys" from. Boy am I off track, lets get back to fishing.

Eugene has been fly fishing in these waters all his life and was very knowledgeable. In fact, Eugene has won many events, and set a couple state records in the process.He currently holds the NC State Record for Distance Fly Cast set with a 9′ 5 wt fly rod that sent a fly 114 ft. Dang, I was having trouble casting a fly 20 feet. Anyway, he has competed in numerous US National Fly Fishing Championships, and Regional Qualifiers, and has won numerous regional events. Now, why am I showing you a photo of the grille of a hummer?...Because it's dinner for the trout. Really, the flying bugs on the grille are what trout are eating at this moment, so match the fly to the flying creature and bingo bango, you have the blue plate special for trout. Now this brings up "What is for dinner?...Mayfly on the Grille with a little hummer." Oh yeah, here's my favorite bug joke: What's the last thing that goes through a bugs mind when it hits the grille?...His butt! He He!!!!

Here's Pop with a small trout. I believe catching trout in the relaxing cool waters (59 degrees) of a mountain stream will give you a "possum grin." Can you tell he's grinning like a possum? I think so.

Hey, check out my fish, a small rainbow trout! How do you like my trout net, fly fishing vest, flys etc...cool right? Well, that's not me, its Eugene the fishing guide. I'm the one taking the picture, just behind the camera. Oh yeah, I was fishing a dry fly and a dropper. All our catches were on the wet end, however I did get a few bites on the dry fly.

Eugene is giving Pop a few instructions on how to improve his technique. Both Pop and I were lucky that we stayed out of the trees and didn't lose any flys. Also, no one got a wet butt from stubbing over rocks, either. Check out that can of bear spray on Eugene's waist, just in case a black bear tries to still a trout.

Here it is "my first brown trout." Eugene indicated that he was a wild brown and the way you can tell is by the pattern. The wild trout are born in the stream and have more and deeper brown markings on each side that look like the images of fingers gripping the side of the trout, sort of. Eugene referred to this as the hand of God. I apologize for the crappy pictures, with mountains on each side and dense foliage, too much shade was around and my cell phone was just not up to the task. I brought my Nikon D80, but was afraid that I would drop it in the creek.

All good things must end and so does this trip. We did catch several rainbows and one brown trout, not large but fun. Now I think I have become a "Troutmanizer!" What is a Troutmanizer?

 

Remember: Life is short, get away from the big screen and get on a big stream!

Water Lily Lake

Last weekend, Buttermilk (My fishing buddy) and I, fished at Greenbrier Lake, a small lake near my home. As you can see from these pictures it should be called Water Lily Lake because of all the water lilies. Can't you just see all those big, fat bass laying right under those lilies.   

The water lilies were a small problem. There was a bigger problem, Milfoil. Milfoil is an invasive plant that is not native and grows just under the surface. What looks like open water is filled with milfoil. Most of the time, I would reel in a four or five foot long mess of milfoil, pick it off the lure and repeat the process over and over. Oh Yeah, weedless bait was no help. 

 

The picture below, gives you an idea of how thick the vegetation was on top of the water. You could almost get out of the kayak and walk across the lake, but this is great bass habitat. Right!

Ooooooooh, Buttermilk proudly displays his trophy catch. A perch.

Believe it or not, Buttermilk is taking a picture of me holding a 10 lb largemouth bass. Not, we didn't catch any big fat bass, but it was a great day of fishing..............

Except for the Water Lilies and Milfoil!

This coming weekend, I will be in the Great Smokey Mountains fly fishing. Wish me luck! Always Remember: Get away from the big screen and get on a big stream!

Fish Tattoos

I've been cartooning again and it's something I enjoy. I think I have over 150 now. Some of them I spend time and draw well, others I just quickly sketch out. I warn you that they are kind of nutty and borderline crazy, but it's humor, I think? Oh Yeah, I do have another blog called BaitRageous.
 

 

 

 

 

I hope they were funny, and remember

"Get away from the big screen and get on a big stream!"

 

 

Kentucky Lake Road Trip

A few weeks ago, we took our daughter to Governor's school, a summer program for talented high school students. On our way to UT Martin we passed Kentucky Lake. I was lucky enough to briefly get off the beaten path and take a few pictures of the su rrounding area. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to fish.

This is a picture looking south off highway 79. As you can see, Kentucky Lake is a very large lake. In fact, I wondered what is the distance that you lookout over water and see no land due to the curvature of the earth, so I looked it up. At a height of 6 feet, with no land on the horizon and only water, it is 3 miles (Note: the higher you are above the water, the further you can see). What's the reason for this useless fact? If you cross the Kentucky Dam and carefully lookout over the water, there's an area that you can only see water and sky like at the ocean. Now that's a big lake.

Here's a map of Kentucky Lake that I have painted (see more at www.LeoLakes.com). If you look you closely, you may find a tourist town named Grand Rivers, which is between Lake Barkley on the Cumberland River and Kentucky Lake on the Tennessee River.

Grand Rivers is becoming a destination. It's sort of a mini vacation rivertown with little tourist shops, restaurants and even entertainment.

A great place to eat in Grand Rivers is Patti's an 1880's themed restaurant. It started in 1977 and has grown into the top tourist restaurant destination in Kentucky. Try thier specialty, pork chops, I have and they're great.

Patti's is a unique and interesting place with not only a restaurant, but many shops to discover. Check it out at: http://www.pattis-settlement.com/index.htm Also, near Grand Rivers is Green Turtle Bay Marina and Resort located on the waters of Lake Barkley. This is a great place to launch a boat or have a meal and explore.

Remember: Life is short, Get away from the big screen and get on a big stream!

Mr. Buck

I have a salt block near our house so I can take pictures of visiting wildlife. A few weeks ago, I captured a photo of a buck with the begining of a nice rack. Here's a picture from about 4 weeks ago.

The other morning the same buck came back to the salt block and I was ready. 

My how his rack has grown. It looks like he's up to seven points. Mr. Buck didn't seem too worried and cautious.

Dang, a quick glance and you would think it's a Reindeer.

Oh yeah, Mr. Buck has a girl firend or two following him around! I wonder why?

Hopefully, Mr. Buck will be back and I can take a few more photos. Remember: What's in your woods, river, lake, or, bay!

I Yelled Snake!

The other day, I was walking on a beautiful Greenway Trail near Nashville. The trail was along side of the Cumberland River, Cheatham Lake. As I walked down the trail on a cool morning for July, I noticed a snake stretched out across the trail as my seventeen year old daughter was just passing beside the snake. I yelled Snake! Lucky for her, the snake didn't move. You know what? Teenagers are just not very aware sometimes.

Anyway, as I neared the snake, I could identify it as a poisonous snake, a Copperhead. The Copperhead was not moving and appeared to be a sleep. Checkout the snakes cool pattern.

 The trail was busy with occasional folks walking and I was worried that someone might not see the snake and get bitten.

I took a stick and encouraged the Copperhead to move on into the woods. He was stubborn and did strikeout a few times, but after further encouragement, he decided to slither on into the forest. We moved on and you cannot guess what happen next.

 

We came upon a snake hunter that had discovered two Cottonmouths. He said one was a female and the other was a male (females are smaller). I questioned him about catching snakes and he said he loved snakes and liked to take pictures of them and then release them back into nature. The snake hunter told me that this area was loaded with snakes.

The male snake was much more aggressive than the female, so the snake hunter tossed the male back into the woods.  

Actually this day turned out to be a very exciting day. We saw three wild, poisonous snakes in one day. Remember: What's in your woods, river, lake, or bay. Get out and find out, but be careful!

 

Fish Pajamas and A reel lashing!

Here's a few of my new cartoons. Enjoy!

 

Remember: Get away from the big screen and get on a big stream".