St. Usuge Puppies for sale

  Ever wanted a hunting dog that all your friends will want to come hunting as its that good?  Or your family and friends will adore and want one as she's that sweet.  Have a dog that will babysit while your away, she's that smart.  Only five left.  Contact the St. Usuge Society (NOSUS.org) for more info. or call 646-201-2461.

The Typhoon

I remember my last west pac cruise, in the spring and summer of '64.  We were headed for Hong Kong, just outside of the Formosa straights when we were overtaken by a strong Typhoon.  Our shop was on the main deck aft of midships and I remember watching an occasional wave pass by the doors, the wave higher than the door itself.  Our crews berths were aft in the fan tail, my bunk furthest aft by the gangway, where I could get fresh air in the 100 degree weather of the Philippines.  That night, in the worst of the storm,  we were tossed around like a tub toy, so I took the bunk straps, normally used to secure the bunks upright during the day, and strapped myself in for the night.  One huge wave lifted the entire fantail out of the water and the prop shook the whole boat, then it crashed back down with such force, all the bunks came out of the cams and everyone fell in a heap to the floor.  Everyone except me, who was hanging sideways in my bunk trying to get loose.

The Clackamas

Tales from the backyard:  Funny how things trigger your memory.  Today as I was running errands, I was driving along the ?creek and was taken back to an earlier day.  I was going to fish Steelhead on the Clackamas river in Oregon one weekend and having not a clue as to where to go, just drove along the valley road until I saw what looked like a good pool some 100 feet or so down.  I found a parking spot, collected my gear and worked my way down.  I set up my gear and tied on the first of many flies.  The pool held many fish, which I could see, loafing on the bottom some 15' down.  Tried as I might, the fish would not budge, no mater what fly I put on.  With the sun setting, I decided to put on an Umpqua special, which I had tied years ago.  Several casts  later into the crystal clear water, I saw a huge fish starting to come up from the bottom.  I waited as it slowly approached the fly from behind, opened its big mouth and inhaled it and turned to head down.  I set the hook or should I say "tried" as the hook just came out.  Examining it later, I had broken the barb off on the rocks behind me on one of my back-casts  Such is the life of the fisherman..  Don't really know if I have had a better day.

My first fly rod

Tales from the Backyard:  Yesterday while driving to the farm, I took a route where I could run the dogs and scout for pheasant.  Along the way there is a trout stream and as NJ season had just opened, there were quite a few fisherman enjoying the nice day.  One was carrying a bamboo rod, probably in the $400 to $700 range.  I flashed back to my first fly-rod which I bought using money earned picking tomatoes one summer.  It too was bamboo, came in a wooden box and had 2 extra tips of various weight.  The cost?  $6.95 and a better nymph rod I have never owned.