FlyTalk

I found this nugget over on www.midcurrent.com the other day and decided it had to be the "funny or stupid" question of the week.

By the way if you haven't checked out Midcurrent, you must. It is THE fly fishing resource for the web. Everything from videos like this, to relevant fishing news or articles that will change how you fish. You won't be disappointed. Trust me...

At first I thought this video was pretty funny. Then I watched it again, and again...and again. Now I'm thinking this doofus just wasted a perfectly good shotgun shell.

TR

You may recognize this photo. Luckily for me it ended up in the "First Shot" section of Field and Stream a couple of issues ago. I was thrilled, honored, and very excited to have one of my photos chosen as a two page spread in the magazine.

Then, a couple of days ago I received some state generated prison mail from California. I thought it was a mistake when I found it in my mailbox. Apparently a gentleman who we'll call "Mike" had written F&S asking for me and any information I might have on the fishing and location of the place I had taken a picture of. He claims he will be out of prison and living in Colorado in about six months and wants to go there. Yikes!

Now, I'm hard pressed to give out fishing beta on favorite places to good friends let alone a prisoner in the California state system. On the other hand perhaps he's served his time and will be an outstanding member of society... What do you say, should I write him?

I couldn't make this up if I tried. 

Pete Hodge was diagnosed with a terminal illness at age 61.  Turns out Pete was an avid carp fisherman in the UK and had one dying wish.  He wanted his remains mixed into bait rolled in balls and dunked in his favorite fishing hole by friends and family members.  He went so far as to even put it in writing.

See the full story here.

Okay, this is strange, but I've also heard some weird ways to deal with people postmortem. I have a friend who actually paid for his dad to be shot into outer space on the tip of a rocket. Hunter S. Thompson was shot out of a cannon for god sake. Personally, I really like the idea and might consider it myself. Would you consider feeding yourself to the fish?

TR

I had to get this one over early this week. Funny or Stupid?

I'm not sure this is even real.

While Deeter is bringing you his witty (ahem), thought provoking (ahem, ahem) take on the world of fly fishing, I'm busy dredging the depths of the internet to bring you choreographed and synchronized goldfish dancing.

Golly gee, I hope my mom decides to check in on me and see how I'm making a living today...

Enjoy

TR

I found this amazing short film via thisisfly a couple of weeks ago and have been meaning to share with all of you for quite some time. Basically it's an animation by Adam Gault on the evolution of the lantern fish. The crappy youtube resolution does not do it justice. If intrigued click here for the full res version. Be prepared to wait some time for it to load, but trust me it's well worth it.

TR

This just in hot off the AP news wire... Long-tailed macaque monkeys have learned how to fish in Indonesia. Apparently the species is well know for innovative ways to find food and have been spotted four times in the last eight years pulling small fish out of the river with their hands and eating them in East Kalimantan and North Sumatra provinces. See the full story here.

All you guides out there better watch what monkeys move into the neighborhood and you might want to think about renegotiating your base pay!

TR

Five days ago on our road trip down the Mississippi I certifiably had one of the strangest fishing experiences of my life. The entire trip we've been seeing large gar, but not catching any. Last thursday we decided to change that. Nate decided to inflate one of the belly boats we had and descend into Steele bayou near Vicksburg, MS directly under the highway. Strange place to fish for sure... We couldn't help it though, as there were literally hundreds of large gar suspended directly below the surface eating anything that swam in front of them. Some we guessed as large as 80lbs, maybe up to 100. You should have seen the looks I was getting taking pictures from the bridge by passing motorists.

Problem was after watching Nate reef in gar after gar I wanted a piece of the action. Forget this photography stuff, I needed to fish. The only way besides getting in the snake and alligator infested water via belly boat was to fish from the bridge twenty feet up. Screw it, I thought I'm gonna try and hook one on my fly rod and what ever happens, happens. The first fish I hooked on a four inch bait fish pattern took me under the bridge and almost snapped my rod. Luckily he threw the fly.

I wanted more. Knowing full well that there was a solid chance I'd break my rod or get run over by a semi I continued sight casting to giant gar for the next hour, barley missing snagging cars and trucks with my backcast many times. Every time I hooked one I'd swim it to the downstream side of the bridge to my man in the belly boat and he'd release it for me. It was bizarre, but strangely addictive. Check out www.bigmuddyroadtrip.com for more on our adventures, which is nearing it's end.

Can anyone top that for the weirdest fish/fishing on a fly rod? If so I want to hear about it.

After seeing this on moldychum.com and thisisfly.com I couldn't resist posting this. Granted most of us would not poach the high dive at Bass pro shops, but I have to admit I'd probably laugh pretty hard if I was in the store during this little stunt. Wonder what the fish thought?

TR