In case you haven't heard, Orvis is having a photo contest. The winner gets either a Helios rig or a $1,000 Orvis gift card PLUS your winning photo will adorn the cover of the 2010 Orvis Catalog. Pretty cool eh?
Be warned though - in order to vote for your favorite photo (mine of course), you'll have to donate to "Save our Rivers". So whomever has the most money errrrr votes, wins.
You can check out the contest here - http://orvis.com/fishphoto
Mine is titled "What should I Tie On". I'm presently accepting donations in order to vote for myself....
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Thursday, October 29, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Redfish at Weedon Island
Went for a hike with Julie at Weedon Island over the weekend. It was more of a scouting/photo trip than fishing expedition so of course we saw a lot of activity. Redfish were making big humps in the shallows, foraging for food and were mixed in with some rather large mullet in the calm water. There were loud crashes back in the 'groves out of site, but can only imagine snook chasing bait. Black Mangrove Fiddler crabs were in large numbers along the branches, so a dark colored crab pattern would have been good me thinks.
Of course, i didn't take one iota of fishing gear with me. If I had, we wouldn't have seen anything.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Clearwater Jazz Holiday Part 2
One of the perks for working for the city is, i always am able to score VIP passes to the Clearwater Jazz Holiday, which is my favorite live music event of the year. i wasn't able to attend last years festivities because we went camping instead....and believe it or not, i'm sure i would had more fun at the jazz holiday.
There was a different feel to this years festival. At past festivals, the food in the hospitality area was provided by Hooters or Island Way Grill and was always yummy. This year, the food was catered by Rumba, which is a good place to eat, but the food provided sort of reminded me of a standard wedding reception. The underlying theme of the event as a whole felt like "Well, times are tough...." At every break between bands was the organizers literally begging for money in order to "keep jazz free", there were folks walking around selling beads and "blinkies" for $5 and they were raffling off things every chance.
The people in the VIP section are normally well behaved people, which is one reason that i love this event. This year, there were more problematic drunk people than i can remember from past festivals....and even overheard someone in the food tent state to one of the workers " we just want the free stuff"....another example of the "Well...times are tough" theme. I also lost more hope in humanity with the abundance of litter blowing around the VIP seating....it was only a product of people who don't want to clean up after themselves because, as i heard it said "we're VIP's".
i had passes for both Friday and Saturday but made other plans last minute on Friday. i gave the Friday night passes to my mom and brother and they really had a good time besides the deluge they experienced at the end of Chris Botti's set. My brother and i went Saturday night. It was chilly and windy and it wouldn't have been a good night to bring out the fly fishing gear.
Overall, it's still a nice event and i look forward to next years festival.... The powers that be just need to police the hospitality area a bit better.
There was a different feel to this years festival. At past festivals, the food in the hospitality area was provided by Hooters or Island Way Grill and was always yummy. This year, the food was catered by Rumba, which is a good place to eat, but the food provided sort of reminded me of a standard wedding reception. The underlying theme of the event as a whole felt like "Well, times are tough...." At every break between bands was the organizers literally begging for money in order to "keep jazz free", there were folks walking around selling beads and "blinkies" for $5 and they were raffling off things every chance.
The people in the VIP section are normally well behaved people, which is one reason that i love this event. This year, there were more problematic drunk people than i can remember from past festivals....and even overheard someone in the food tent state to one of the workers " we just want the free stuff"....another example of the "Well...times are tough" theme. I also lost more hope in humanity with the abundance of litter blowing around the VIP seating....it was only a product of people who don't want to clean up after themselves because, as i heard it said "we're VIP's".
i had passes for both Friday and Saturday but made other plans last minute on Friday. i gave the Friday night passes to my mom and brother and they really had a good time besides the deluge they experienced at the end of Chris Botti's set. My brother and i went Saturday night. It was chilly and windy and it wouldn't have been a good night to bring out the fly fishing gear.
Overall, it's still a nice event and i look forward to next years festival.... The powers that be just need to police the hospitality area a bit better.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Clearwater Jazz Holiday
I'll be at the always illustrious Clearwater Jazz Holiday Friday and Saturday....this is one of my favorite events and always a good time. Look for me in the hospitality area. This years featured can't miss acts are Chris Botti on Friday and the always entertaining Boney James on Saturday. These aren't the only artists so get there early to see Brian Bromberg on Sunday afternoon. You might want to bring an 8 weight because Coachman Park is right on the water.
Camping trip and fall gorge fest
Ok folks!
After much editing of the blog and an exceptional absence, I'm proud to announce an upcoming camping trip the first weekend in November that will get this blog rocking again. Even though it's only out to Hillsborough River State Park (to which I've been countless times), the chance to get out into the woods and build campfires and possibly fish the river for bass is almost too much for me to contain! I'm hoping to get the camera sorted before then as to have some new images to add.
I'm also itching to get out on the flats because the fall gorge fest that the reds and snook take part in before winter. As soon as the water temp drops, I'm hoping to hit a few ambush points along the mangroves with some new flies I've tied....the small pinfish imitations and toad fish look alikes should work fine.
Got a new Pflueger 12 weight reel from wflies a while back and never got to try it out before the end of tarpon season. It's very well built and I'll be pairing it with a Wild Waters 12 weight rod. These are really nicely made 4 piece 9 foot rods. Google them and see what you're missing out on.
After much editing of the blog and an exceptional absence, I'm proud to announce an upcoming camping trip the first weekend in November that will get this blog rocking again. Even though it's only out to Hillsborough River State Park (to which I've been countless times), the chance to get out into the woods and build campfires and possibly fish the river for bass is almost too much for me to contain! I'm hoping to get the camera sorted before then as to have some new images to add.
I'm also itching to get out on the flats because the fall gorge fest that the reds and snook take part in before winter. As soon as the water temp drops, I'm hoping to hit a few ambush points along the mangroves with some new flies I've tied....the small pinfish imitations and toad fish look alikes should work fine.
Got a new Pflueger 12 weight reel from wflies a while back and never got to try it out before the end of tarpon season. It's very well built and I'll be pairing it with a Wild Waters 12 weight rod. These are really nicely made 4 piece 9 foot rods. Google them and see what you're missing out on.
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