Book review: Clouser's Bass Book

Fly Fishing for Smallmouth in Rivers and Streams by Bob Clouser

Pros: Lots of tips, tricks, techniques, flies & pics of big-ass smallies. Plus there's something about the bluntness of old timers trying to teach you something, as in "you can't catch anything if you can't cast to it, dumbass" (I might have paraphrased that).

Cons: it's a little spendy, and it's a bitch for carry-on reading material (trust me on that) due to size.

Overall: Love this book. I've read it cover-to-cover a few times, and pick it up very often just to re-read certain sections. Worth the price.

Ask for it at your local fly shop or local independent bookstore.

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As you're probably all tired of reading, I had a little techno-brainfart with regards to my domain name, RSS feed, links to earlier posts, etc, etc, etc.

I managed to get a redirect in place, and I've gone back 90 previous posts to update links to other posts...and will complete the task on the other 100 posts in the very near-future...yeah, I was as surprised as you are about having 190 posts...

However...those of you who were subscribed to RSS to the old 411number3.net domain: there ain't nuthin' I can do about that.

If you could resubscribe using the link on the upper right of the sidebar, I'd be honoured (if you haven't subscribed before, you can do it via FeedBurner RSS or email at the top right of the sidebar).

You fine folks that have me on your blogroll: I would be eternally grateful if you updated the domain name so the current post would be listed.

Thanks, everyone!

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Here's some music.

No fish...

...but it was a nice boat ride.

Enjoy this video.

Random BC Post v3.0 (More pics)

(Note: This post may end up looking rough due to this whole Google-account-transition thing; I lost all of my previous settings & text templates. As I have very limited (& poor quality) internet access, this might not get fixed until I return home, so bear with me)

Time/Date: 0735 PST, 16-Jul-11
Location: still in BC

Four more nights.

That's it.

Four more nights of work before 3-4 weeks off.

Note: After this I'm working 3 weeks on, 3 weeks off for a couple months. Then I can resume my semi-retired country gentleman lifestyle.

And, to top it off, I have a day fishing booked with Frontier FarWest (Twitter: @epicflyfishing) on the way outta here. Chinook salmon on the fly (guess I didn't need to bring that 5-weight with me...).

Then it's on to Vancouver to see some friends. I'm not sure if I include Akira Sushi, The Noodle Box and Fatburger as friends, but I'm visiting them as well.

And, of course, Caffè Artigiano. The place that started my full-on (mental & physical) addiction to good coffee (& subsequent coffee snobbery, mainly directed towards that shit they serve at Tim Horton's).

I can guarantee I'll be in Artigiano seven times in 34 hours. At least.

How's that for a latte factor?

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A nice little internet gold nugget I recently came across is Smallmouth Fly Box. Some great fly patterns & some gear reviews on there. Definitely worth a visit if you're into chasing smallies on the long stick.

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Here are a few pics from the project site, with a great (early) Pearl Jam tune.

The last pic is for Tommy (Twitter: @ghost1066). It's not the close-up of the glacier I promised (yet), but considering it was taken through the window as I was zipping by in the A-Star, I like how it came out.

Tommy has some mad skill making hand-crafted lures, check them out here.

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City Limits Smallie

Time/Date: 1640 AST, 23-Jun-11
Location: Fredericton

Well, it's no muskie...

But for 15 minutes invested (in extremely difficult casting conditions), it was a great way to get a quick fix on a 5wt fly rod.

Hooked, photographed, released. That's how my friends & I roll...

I tied that #8 black-on-black Clouser with chartreuse flash less than a week ago. It's taken about 10 smallies already. Can you say go-to fly??

Here's some more music:

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New 411#3 Logo by East Side Designs!

Time/Date: 2255, 6-Oct-10
Location: F'ton

My friend Chris Carson, who owns East Side Designs, did up a logo for 411#3! Check it out!!!

Chris does great work with web & graphic design & web-video production. He designed the logo for Lava Vodka Lounge as well:

You can check out some more of his portfolio on the East Side Designs website. For Chris' contact info, click here.

Thanks Chris!!

Going Stalin on Clutter

Time/Date: 1745, 6-Sep-10
Location: F'ton, NB

I'm purging clutter out of my life & mind. As mentioned in an earlier post, I've been reading on simplifying & minimalism from Leo Babauta of Zen Habits, Joshua Becker of Becoming Minimalist and Everett Bogue of Far Beyond The Stars.


I will never claim that I am a full-on minimalist. Everett Bogue proudly proclaims he has 57 possessions. I have that many trout flies and I'm not giving them up (except to fish...or snags...in a river). And I can't really see myself biking to Juniper, NB to go salmon fishing in October, so my truck (the High Plains Drifter) is staying, too.

Stalin's expertise can be applied to decluttering?

But I do have a pile of crap that I don't use and/or need. I'm going Joseph Stalin on clutter.

First on the black list is my room. More specifically, clothes.

Phase 1 was a few odds & ends that didn't need to fly back across the Atlantic Ocean. This included 2 dirty t-shirts, a $4.50 pair of flipflops and torn socks. A few books & magazines also stayed behind to entertain the next wandering soul to find themselves in Ouagadougou.

Phase 2 occurred back at home and I did it quick, like ripping off a band-aid.

Motivational music is definitely required for this process. Try this:

I made two piles; one for donating, one for tossing out:

Donated:
1 rain coat, 1 blazer, 1 fleece pullover, 1 hoodie, 3 polo shirts, 3 board shorts, 2 (barely used) synthetic workout shirts, gym shorts, cargo shorts, 2 dress pants, 1 chinos, 2 dress shirts, 3 t-shirts, 1 (unworn) cap, 2 belts, 1 pr dress shoes. And 1 John Lynch Tampa Bay Bucs football jersey :(

Tossed:
1 cargo shorts, 1 pr jeans, 1 shirt w/ ink stain, 1 l.s. t-shirt w/ holes, 7 t-shirts, 1 pr long-johns, 1 cap, 1 pr work pants, 1 pr North Face slip-ons (bad purchase!!), 1 pr of Blundstones (best boots ever).

I'm happy with the progress. So far.

But now, enjoy a picture of what J-Lo would look like as a tree: