Well that was fast. I was worried my laziness would take over, and apparently it only took two posts. I couldn’t even be bothered to write the followup to my two part Salmon River post. Between the holidays and my “real job,” it just slipped through the cracks. So, with the new year I would like to try this again. I’m still hashing this blog out. I’m sure there will be changes, as I determine what I most like to write about. Once the warm weather arrives here in Massachusetts, I will be fishing like a madman and I’m sure most of my posts will revolve around that. I hope to continue creating posts about cycling and woodworking as well. In years past, I have actually done the majority of my cycling in the winter. I’m generally not fishing, and I find the weather generally more pleasant to ride in. This winter though, I have failed. I’ve barely been on my bike so I feel I can’t really contribute anything worthwhile on that topic. So we shall see how this site evolves. If, after a few months, I realize that I’m not writing much about a particular topic, I’ll probably scrap it in favor of concentrating on the others.
Unfortunately, we are still a few months away from those first striper schoolies making their way into my waters. I am certainly hoping to make it out on some of these beautiful winter days to hunt either holdover stripers in the upper estuaries, or even make it out to the Swift River if I’m feeling extra ambitious. For now, I’ll just have to tie, stocking up my boxes for the spring and watch YouTube videos that serve only to feed my fever. The recent Fly Fishing Show in Marlboro, MA did the same. Drooling over the newest gear and picking up the odds and ends I needed, all while talking and mingling with some of the fly world’s greats surely gets the mind in a fury; already planning that first outing of the year.
Speaking of the Fly Fishing show, I really enjoyed this year’s. I was not there long, only a couple hours. It was enough though. I was able to drool over some dream outings in places like Labrador and Belize, pick up some EZ Body tubing from Bill Murphy, which I’ve wanted to play with for a while, and I was even able to show a friend and new-comer to the fly world around the show. He was overwhelmed, much as I was my first year attending, but was able to enjoy himself and get some great info. Really the only other notable mention, is that I found a big streamer/boat box for a great price at the Rip Lips booth and had to pick it up. I generally see these priced anywhere from $35-$45 and it’s too much. Fly fishing is an expensive hobby, there’s really no way of getting around that. But when I see the items that very clearly fall into the “fly fishing mark-up” category – cheap plastic fly boxes especially, I have a hard time stomaching it. So when I saw this box for nearly a third of the normal price I jumped on it. I love the Rip Lips booth, there isn’t a year that goes by that I don’t pick up some bargain items from them.
Since the show, the fishing fever is at a new high. Unfortunately I have no plans as of yet for any fishing in the near future. Stay tuned, however for a look at what flies I’ll use to fill that new box. I’ll also be fine tuning and tweaking my equipment over the next few weeks/months. I will do my best to keep this blog up to date.
Tight lines.
Hook & Spoke 