Well, don’t you?

Photo by Andrew Bennett

If you are competing in the Inaugural Chickcharney Invitational, however, it’s a no-holes-barred multi-species grudge match. So anything goes, but size doesn’t necessarily matter.

MG signing off (because the competition was supremely tough, and he has to go pay up to the winners)

Photo by Tosh Brown

…taking a bite out of Spooner’s Sorry Charlie, a shrimp pattern with crabby accents, inspired by a Charlie Craven special. The angler, of course, had nothing to do with the catch.

MG signing off (because it’s wet out, but the bonefish don’t care about the weather)

What Mr. Bonefish did not know was that the Pink Kitten was wrapped around a #4 Gamakatsu and secured to one of the angler’s hand-tied leaders, which in turn was attached to an Airflo Ridge Bonefish WF8-F.

Photo by Dustin Carlson

Mr. Bonefish went home with a sore lip. Sucks to be him.

MG signing off (because it doesn’t suck to be here, even if we did pull out early due to rain)

Certainly not I.

MG signing off (to chug Kaliks while awaiting the hop to Congo Town)

The recent announcement that Cabela’s would enter the Colorado Front Range market (see this Denver Post article) has been creating significant amounts of worrisome debate amongst local fly-fishing retailers and outfitters. Anglers, however, seem to feel the entrance of Cabela’s will create more choice for them, and that freedom means happier fishermen and fisherwomen. At least one established local retailer thinks that is a very good thing.

Read on.

Get busy creating an exceptional client experience, or get busy dying.

MG signing off (to focus on the former)

Albert Einstein once said “the definition of insanity was doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” The truly learned and wise just blame it on the flies. Hence, I introduce to you the…uh…carp fly box for the post-graduate generation?

The left side of the box are my half-baked knockoffs of real fly anglers’ patterns. The other side comes from one Scott Spooner, the newest addition to the Taylor Creek crew. And a fine addition indeed. You may have heard of Mr. Spooner’s fly tying obsession acumen through the infamous Nate O’ Taylor blog. Nevertheless, the eternal skeptic in me decided to put the hot shot to the test – I mean who on God’s green earth can’t tie a fricken trout fly (that is, besides yours truly)? I then pulled some unachievable bullshit out of my ass, kind of like my professor did back in Finance 4905 developed an intricately detailed test: produce some flies for quarry that he is not familiar with, based on a detailed set of specifications:

1) They must fly straight at upwards of 200 mph (or 20 mph in the case of my best casts);

2) They must have lots of profile, and bulging eyes and flailing tentacles (akin to how I look in a strip club); and

3) When they land they must sit upright (unlike how I am usually positioned at my desk).

Doctor Spooner knows how to follow instructions (or he wouldn’t be a doctor, so shut your cakehole), and produced the following…

Spooner's Pink Kitten; photo by Rick Mikesell

and…

Spooner's Sorry Charlie; photo by Rick Mikesell

First impressions being everything, Scott would have graduated magna cum laude. But we still have to put his creations through a final exam.

Now, to find some really wily fishes to educate via negative reinforcement.

MG signing off (with a wink and a smile)

Click the photo to enlarge

This intrepid wildlife photographer observed the beast pointing out his quarry with a Sage ZXL 386-4/Click III combo, and then pummeling them into submission with what appeared to be a size 22 Korkers boot #16 Parachute Adams. It was a life changing event, observing such behavior. Not lost either – how fashionable Bigfoot looks when geared up for his fishing adventures.

Meanwhile, requests for reuse of this amazing photo by National Geographic and the Discovery Network have been pouring in all morning.

MG signing off (because being in the right place at the right time is all that matters)

The first person to guess “who dat” wins a post-paid Airflo 6/7 Clear Delta flyline. Dat alone should be enough of a clue.

MG signing off (because the line is the bomb, but the skater in question is more so)

Editor’s note: submissions are first post, first serve, in the comments only. Only.

It hit me on before we embarked to the next venue…Reynolds is driving a yuppie mobile!

I began conjuring as many quasi-insults as I could, the plan being to hold my tongue until the moment was just right.

Then we hit a stinky, murky, carp-infested stillwater if there ever was one.

At which point I came up empty handed. And the driver did not.

MG signing off (thanking my lucky stars I know how to keep my fat trap shut)

Front page images were rescaled so more valuable content was above the fold, and new typography was chosen so consumers whose eyes are otherwise damaged from tying #28 midges could still read the text. Otherwise, the project was ripping the face off the old site, placing it on top of a more efficient and flexible content management system. Plus a few other tricks not generally available.

The switchover took place when I should have instead been casting the same midges across a small creek, so if you find any technology-related bugs and/or feel the need to play armchair quarterback after the fact, be advised the developer is a little testy right now.

MG signing off (to go back to staring at that yet unused two-weight sitting in the corner of the office)