Wednesday, June 30, 2010

 

Frank And Jeff Went Fishing Yesterday Afternoon ...


out at the golf course where Jeff works. Frank took our new WW Griggs eight foot Heritage Series fiberglass fly rod and his G Loomis Venture 5 fly reel. Jeff fished with his heavy bass casting tackle. Jeff caught three bass and Frank caught the bass above before some heavy thunderstorms sent them packing back to the truck. Dudley told Frank he would rather catch one bass on a fly rod/reel than three on a heavy casting rod and reel. Frank agreed that it was much more sporting. We got a bunch of rain yesterday morning and into the afternoon. It is nice to get rain this time of year. It has cleared off today and when Frank gets home from working all day at the lawn service, he can mow our yard. The fishing will have to wait.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

 

Exploding Star Targets, Damn That Looks Like Fun ...


Monday, June 28, 2010

 

Frank Went Fishing Yesterday Afternoon Down At ...






a local creek. He had a great time for the short time he was able to fish. He did not catch as many as usual probably because the water was still off color from the recent rain. He was glad to be able to get out to fish this spot on the creek. Access is usually gated off but he noticed the other day the gate was not up so he took advantage of the opportunity and went fishing. The road to the creek skirts the edge of a city park and once he gets to the creek, his truck is out of view. It is raining again today so it will be a while before the water clears up.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

 

Oh Crap ... Who Divided By Zero ???



Saturday, June 26, 2010

 

Pretty Well Sums It Up ...



Friday, June 25, 2010

 

Dudley Won Another Auction On Ebay ...





for a NOS Wright & McGill Eagle Claw "Denco" fly rod. Denco stands for Denver Colorado which is where this rod was manufactured over thirty years ago. This was a lower priced rod of the models available at the time. The rod looks like it is unused and is in perfect condition. Dudley was going to rig this up for a Bass Bugging big water rod for Frank to fly fish for bass with but Dudley has since won a second auction on another NOS rod more suitable for that purpose. Dudley will do a post on that rod when it gets here and Dudley can get some better photos. Dudley is not able to get out and go fly fishing any longer. Will have to be content with the memories of past fly fishing trips and collecting vintage fly fishing rods and reels.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

 

Dudley Found A Treasure On Ebay Last Night ...



it is a Falls City "My Buddy" metal tackle box in unused NOS condition. It still has the key in the envelope inside the box like the day it left the factory. Dudley has two other similar metal tackle boxes he uses to store his collection of antique fishing lures. One is a bright red three tray model that was also NOS. The other is a burgundy two tray model like the one above. The only difference I can see is the olive green model only has one latch where the other one has three. Dudley likes the two tray models better as they are much easier to open and close. The three tray model is cumbersome to open and close and takes two hands. Also the compartments are too small on the three tray model. It is a shame that metal tackle boxes are no longer being manufactured. When Dudley was a kid, his father bought him his first tackle box. It was made of metal and had one tray. It had a twelve inch ruler pressed into the lid which was handy for measuring fish. That tackle box was brown in color and is long gone. Dudley replaced it with a large tackle box when he was a young teenager. That box was red and was made of plastic. Dudley fished with that box for twenty years and then replaced it with a bigger box also made of plastic. Metal tackle boxes have much more character than plastic. Too bad they are no longer being made. Now if Dudley could only find that little dented and rusted brown metal tackle box he threw away about forty years ago, now that would be a prize!

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

 

US Military Snipers Get Paid For Doing Their Job And They Have A Sense Of Humor ...



Tuesday, June 22, 2010

 

Dudley Got The Call He Has Been Waiting For ...

from the doctor. Dudley found out the test was negative and he does not have Pompe disease. This is not the news Dudley was hoping to hear. This means there is no treatment for Dudley and no chance of stopping the progression of the neuromuscular disease that Dudley is fighting. Every day, Dudley wakes up a little weaker than the day before. It has been a long journey up to this point and it looks like the rest of the trip is going to be tough. Dudley will just keep doing what he has always done, doing the best he can with what he has and keep on fighting until he can't fight any more.

Monday, June 21, 2010

 

Dudley Bought A Fly Reel On EBay ...




the other day. It is a decades old Pflueger Medalist and was made in the U.S.A. The reel has been upgraded with new improved parts and is so much nicer than the junk they are importing from China these days. Dudley has seen quite a few similar reels sell for two hundred dollars and up so Dudley felt pretty good about getting this one for $102.50. Dudley likes collecting things. Always has and always will. Dudley has collected briar pipes, pipe tobacco and has a collection of fishing lures and tackle. And then there is the collection of hunting and fishing books. A collection of toys, GI Joe's 40th Anniversary sets and Hot Wheels Classic sets. Dudley is now enjoying collecting quality fly fishing rods and reels. Dudley's wife spends her money going to the beach. Dudley spends his collecting things. Dudley is not able to go deer hunting much any more but he enjoys hunting on EBay. When a vacation to the beach is over, it is over. There is nothing left but the memories. Collections are more tangible, more lasting and to some, more worthwhile.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

 

Happy Father's Day Dad ...

your son sure does miss you. It is hard to believe you have been gone over twenty five years. I hope you have found an everlasting peace that seemed to elude you during your time here. I hope you are up in the mountains you loved standing beside a river or lake full of giant trout waiting to take a fly, cast with your old Granger fly rod. We will go fishing together again some day dad but as Robert Frost said ...

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Saturday, June 19, 2010

 

Dudley Is Home Alone, Holding Down The Fort ...

for a time. Dudley's wife and daughter left earlier today for East TX to go visit the in laws. Dudley has fed and watered the dog and cat and is watching the news. Frank was around the house most of the day. He washed and waxed his pick up. He went and got us some BBQ sandwiches earlier. He left to go hang out with his friends and came by later to get his swimsuit. Said they were going swimming over at some girls house. Told him I would see him in the morning and to be careful and don't do anything stupid. Dudley watched the Rangers win again against the Astros. Looks like the Rangers may get the Silver Boot once again. The Rangers are playing a day game tomorrow. Hope the Rangers win again. One of these days, Dudley is going to buy some tickets and go see a Ranger game in Houston at Minutemaid Park. The first MLB game Dudley ever went to was back in the late 60's when Dudley saw the Astros play the Cardinals down in the Astrodome. Dudley was around nine years old at the time and it was quite an experience.

Friday, June 18, 2010

 

Dr. John - How Come My Dog Don't Bark ???


Thursday, June 17, 2010

 

Cowboy Hits The Mark ...



Wednesday, June 16, 2010

 

Frank Got Back Home This Morning From His Trip To The Coast ...





he was tired but they had a great time. Frank said the total numbers of speckled trout may have been down but that the average size may have been a little bigger. They are looking forward to going back in the fall and catching some of the Bullreds that migrate in the cut that time of year. Frank and Dudley watched a movie this morning and then he went and got us some BBQ sandwiches. He has gone over to see his grandmother. Lizzie went swimming with one of her friends earlier and she is back home resting now. It is going to be near 100 degrees outside today. Good day for Dudley to stay inside in the AC. Looking forward to watching the Rangers again tonight. They won a close game last night. The Lakers beat the Celtics last night. Dudley is looking forward to watching game seven tomorrow night. Dudley is pulling for the Celtics but will be surprised if they can pull off a win.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

 

Frank Called Yesterday Evening With A Fishing Report ...




from the Texas Coast. He said they were back at the condo on Padre Island after a trip to the Landcut. He said he fished all night from sundown on Sunday until sunrise on Monday. He said the Bullreds did not show this trip but that they did catch some undersized "Rat" Reds that they threw back. He said they caught a total of 24 keeper trout. Frank said they were up to almost twenty inches in length. Frank said he caught the biggest trout of the trip on Dudley's old graphite fly rod and reel. He also caught the most keeper trout of this trip. Frank said he caught eight keeper trout total and that he caught five on the fly rod. Dudley bought him a small saltwater popper and some shrimp and crab flies shown above from Jim Green of Tyler, TX. He ties some of the best flies around. The quality is second to none and his prices are reasonable also. Frank said they trout were tearing into the little brown crab fly. He tied it on a leader of about eighteen inches to the hook of the saltwater popper. He fished from the back of the boat which was tied up at the end of the dock. He would cast out to the edge of the light on the water and the trout would hit it taking the popper under. He said the bigger ones would take off pulling drag on the fly reel making that wonderful noise that all fly fishermen love to hear. He said they lost count of the number of undersized trout they caught and threw back. He said the action was pretty much non stop until sunrise when it turned off as though someone had flipped a switch. Frank will be back Wednesday night. Can't wait to see him and hopefully he will have some photos for Dudley's Diary.

Monday, June 14, 2010

 

Continental Trailways Used To Be A Big Company ...

running buses all over the country. Dudley remembers riding on a Trailways bus a few times growing up going from Wichita Falls To Fort Worth or vice versa to visit his grandparents or his father. Dudley always rode the bus without any other family members and at times Dudley remembers there were some scary looking people on those buses. Dudley always sat up toward the front and tried to sit by himself or tried to pick out the least scary looking person to sit by. Dudley would have much rather ridden on a train but sadly passenger train service was pretty much dead or dying by then. Once Dudley turned 16 and got his first car, he thought his days of riding on a Trailways bus were over. They pretty much were except for one last bus ride from Hell. When Dudley was away at college, he got Mono and got sick as a dog his Junior year. Dudley lived off campus by then and lived in an apartment with three of his friends. Dudley remembers being too sick to drive from Nacogdoches to Fort Worth so his mother drove over and picked him up and drove him back home. Dudley missed two full weeks of school and when he got well enough to go back to school, spring break was starting. Dudley wanted to go get his car but could not get anyone to drive him to Nacogdoches. Dudley remembers going down to the bus station and buying a ticket. He got on the bus, up toward the front and the bus started going east towards Dallas. Dudley knew he was in trouble when the bus did not get up on the turnpike to go to big D but instead stayed on the old two lane highway that linked the two cities. The bus stopped at every light and there must have been a hundred of them. it also stopped at as many bus stations at every little town between Fort Worth and Nacogdoches. The bus left around two in the afternoon and did not hit the outskirts of Nacogdoches until almost midnight. A trip that normally took Dudley about three hours in his Camaro had taken almost ten long hours! Dudley remembers getting the bus driver to stop within a few blocks of his apartment. Saved him from having to get a cab ride from down town. Dudley went inside the apartment, it was empty, all of his roommates had gone home for Spring Break. Dudley had thought he would spend the night in the apartment and then drive back to Fort Worth in the morning. Dudley opened the refrigerator to find it empty and Dudley said what the hell, grabbed his car keys, hopped in his Z-28 and hauled ass back to Fort Worth. Dudley made record time and got back to Fort Worth in about two hours. Continental Trailways went out of business not long after that trip from Hell. Gee, I wonder why?

Sunday, June 13, 2010

 

Dudley Spoke To Frank This Morning ...



He and Jeff were making last minute preparations to their fishing tackle getting ready for the boat trip down to Jeff's grandfather's remote fishing cabin down on the Landcut. It is located long way to the south of their condo in Corpus Christi on Padre Island. They will pull out of the boat slip at the condo and go through the canal into the Upper Laguna Madre. They will turn left and go south for several miles until they get to Baffin Bay. They cross the bay continuing south until they get to the north end of the Landcut. They enter the cut and then go south several more miles until they get to their cabin on the west side of the cut. You can see a map of the area and a Google Earth image of the cabin. It takes over three hours to get down there by boat. You have to take all of your food, water and gasoline for the outboard and diesel for the generator that powers the lights for the cabin and the fishing lights on the dock. They will probably cook out on the grill this evening, drink a beer or two and then wait for the sun to go down. When it gets dark, they turn on the lights and start catching fish. The lights pull in huge schools of speckled trout and some bull reds if they are lucky. I hope Frank takes a lot of pictures so I can share them on Dudley's Diary.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

 

Dudley Is Watching The Ranger Game Today ...


and tonight is going to watch UFC on PPV. Frank is down in Corpus Christi. He and Jeff have been out in their kayaks at least once out in the bay and I know they have made one late night trip out to Bob Hall Pier. I don't think they have been catching very much but that is about to change as they are going down to the Landcut tomorrow. They have a swimming pool at the Condominiums where they are staying. I have an idea all of the bikini clad young ladies laying out at the pool have been distracting the young men and keeping them from going fishing as much as usual. Oh how I wish to be 21 years old again with the knowledge and know how it has taken me 51 years to acquire. Dudley won the auction on EBay for the vintage spinnerbaits new in the package. They are a piece of Bass fishing history and are a great addition to Dudleys fishing lure collection. As I related yesterday, Dudley and his father both caught a bass over five pounds on a yellow and black Zorro Aggravator on the same day, many years ago. This spinnerbait won the first ever Bass Masters Classic on Lake Mead in Nevada in 1971. The Small Okie Bug won the second Classic on Lake Percy Priest in Tennessee the following year. I found them on EBay by accident and sniped them at the last second. There was another fisherman that wanted them, but Dudley wanted them more.

Friday, June 11, 2010

 

Almost Forty Years Ago, Dudley Bought A Couple ...

of Zorro Aggravator spinner baits. Dudley was a young teenager and this was prior to his getting a drivers license. The spinner baits were black and yellow like those above on the right and left sides of the photo. Dudley had gone down to the Will Rogers Auditorium in Fort Worth to attend a seminar put on by B.A.S.S. This was during the early seventies and the Bass Anglers Sportsman's Society was in it's early years. Ray Scott spoke as did I believe Bill Dance, Stan Sloan and Bob Cobb. May have been a few others. They showed a movie, filmed in Florida I think of big Largemouth Bass striking and feeding underwater. The water was crystal clear and I remember one scene of a big Bass picking off a baby duckling that was swimming behind it's mother. Now that was cool to an aspiring bass fisherman. They also showed a movie about Treasure Lake down in Cuba and the incredible bass fishing there. Stan Sloan was a convincing salesman. He described how he would cast a lure up into the top of a tree out in the yard and then reel it through the branches without a snag. Dudley showed the lures to his dad one day and we soon went fishing out to Lake Arrowhead near Wichita Falls. We went to the west side of the lake one afternoon and fished from the bank and did not have any luck. We then went around to the east side and in a few hours, we managed to catch three bass in the 2 to 3 pound range. The very next day we went back to the same place and we each caught a bass over five pounds! Dudley was thrilled and he will remember that day as long as life lasts. The spinner baits in the above photo are currently on sale on EBay. Dudley is going to try to snipe them and add them to his fishing lure collection.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

 

Frank Is Leaving Tomorrow For His Summer Trip ...


to the legendary Landcut on the Texas coast. He and Jeff are driving to Corpus Christi and are going to meet the rest of Jeff's family at their condo. Frank and Jeff are taking their kayaks and are going to try to do some fishing in the area for a few days. Then Frank and Jeff and the guys will load up the power boats and head out the Inter Coastal water way and cross Baffin Bay and enter the landcut. They will go south for several miles to their remote fishing cabin. Behind the cabin is the sprawling Kenedy Ranch. They fish at night off of their dock under lights powered by a generator. The lights attract lots of bugs that attract a lot of small fish which in turns attracts lots of bigger fish. Frank says the water will be teeming with speckled trout. Last summer Frank caught over two hundred in one night. A lot were undersized and were released but they kept quite a few of the larger ones. Last fall, Frank caught a twenty pound thirty six inch Redfish. Frank is working for the lawn service today, Dudley needs to get off the computer and get busy helping Frank get his tackle ready for the trip. Dudley needs to tie a leader onto his fly line and tie a saltwater popper on with a drop leader tied to either a crab or shrimp fly. Need to tie some drop lines to all of his flies and tie a redfish rig to his baitcasting rod and reel. Should be another great trip and hopefully Frank can take a lot of photos so Dudley can experience the trip as well and share them here on Dudley's Diary.

Monday, June 7, 2010

 

Guillaume Nery At Dean's Blue Hole ...


Sunday, June 6, 2010

 

Play The Game If You Dare ...


by clicking here.

Friday, June 4, 2010

 

When You Are Retired Or Stranded On An Island It Doesn't Really Matter ...



Wednesday, June 2, 2010

 

Dudley Ordered A New Fiberglass Fly Rod Today ...




from W.W. Grigg rod company. It is a Vintage Glass model eight foot in length, two pieces and a 5/6 weight fly line rod. Never have heard of this rod company but they have been in business for a long time. The rod looks great, really like the yellow blank and bright red wraps. Am going to retire my Pflueger rod and take my barely used graphite fly reel and put on the new rod. Am going to get some new line for it as well as some new backing and a furled leader. I got my new bamboo fly rod yesterday but after putting it together and feeling the action, I am afraid to use it much as I would probably break it. Am just going to admire it and think about the times Dudley and his father went fishing and dad fished with his old Granger bamboo fly rod. This fiberglass rod will be a lot more fishable and I won't have to worry about breaking it as it only cost about seventy bucks. It is beautiful and a real value in a classic fiberglass fly rod.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

 

Frank And Dudley Went Out To Mineral Wells State Park ...







yesterday evening. Frank drove and Dudley just went along for the ride. The park is located about 40 miles from the house. It is a beautiful park over 3,200 acres in size with a 600 acre lake. Frank launched his kayak at the boat ramp near the park store and paddled about three hundred yards or so out to a couple of islands located out in front of the dam. He fished for about two hours with Dudley's old fly rod and reel and caught around ten sunfish on a popper with a dropper fly tied to the hook on a short leader. Dudley drove through the park while Frank was fishing. Did not see any deer, it was hot and I am sure they were bedded down in the shade. We left the park before dark and drove in to Mineral Wells. We got a milkshake and a hamburger at Whataburger and then headed home. We drove by the old Baker Hotel. Still has a for sale sign out front. Dudley has heard rumors that a group of investors may be close to a deal to purchase the old hotel with plans to restore it. I hope so as Dudley would like to see the restored hotel and stay there for a night. Some say the old building is haunted but Dudley will take his chances.

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?

Subscribe to Posts [Atom]