general outdoors

Visit Us at the SCI Convention

We’re at SCI in Reno all week, drop us a line if you’d like to hook up. The easiest way to get in touch is cory@gothunts.com

If you’ve never been, you should make it a point to visit the first chance you get. It’s an incredible show.

See the original article at GotHunts.com

general outdoors

Why Pink Salmon are Cool

by Deneki Outdoors

True, not many anglers head to Alaska specifically to target pink salmon. That’s OK though – we still think they’re pretty awesome fish. Here’s why.

1. Every other year there are billions of them. OK, not billions, but on even-numbered years on the Kanektok, our pink numbers are very, very large.
2. They eat poppers. Find ‘em where they’re fresh, and they’re more than happy to eat surface flies, and surface flies for salmon are cool.
3. They’re a ton of fun on a 6 weight. It may not be a big-game experience, but fishing a lighter-weight rod can be a nice break when you’ve spent most of your week pulling on the big boys.
4. They make a great shore lunch. Pinks don’t keep well in your freezer over the winter, but on the bank of the river, just minutes from swimming, they’re awfully delicious.
5. They’re great for kids. We love hosting family groups, and pinks are ‘friends of the family’! Easy to hook and fun to fight, but not too heavy or powerful…perfect.
6. Their metamorphosis is pretty amazing. All salmon change physically when they enter fresh water, but a pink’s Jekyll and Hyde transition from silver and slender to pink, toothy and humpbacked is just a neat natural thing to witness.

See the original article at GotHunts.com

general outdoors

Fly of the Month – CDC Shuck Biot Body Sparkle Dun

Late fall/early winter is a great time to start tying up some patterns to restock the fly boxes depleted by another year on the water, lets not abandon the fishing quite yet.  I have had several great days on the river this past month.  It does get a bit hit and miss as the weather and the water temps cool but when you hit it right the fishing can be outstanding.  I have still been running into some great baetis hatches around here and so with that in mind I thought I would share my favorite pattern when fish are sipping the Blue Winged Olive Duns off the rivers surface.  This pattern is basically a Sparkle Dun with a biot body, and I use a CDC feather for the trailing shuck instead of Z-lon. I like the Sparkle dun because it is so versatile.  I think fish feeding on emergers, duns, and spinners could all find a reason to take a well placed Sparkle Dun.  This version is quite simple to tie, it floats well, and is fairly easy to see even in the small sizes that will often be required.

Lets get started with the materials:
• Hook: #18 or smaller Tiemco 100 or equivalent dry fly hook
• Thread: Olive 8/0
• Wing: Olive Deer Hair
• Tail/Shuck: One Natural Brown CDC feather
• Body: Gray Olive Turkey Biot
• Thorax: Medium Olive Fine Dry Fly Dubbing

1) In the winter months the bugs that do hatch tend to be small.  For our rivers in Southeast Idaho I usually tie this pattern in sizes from #18-#24.  You can definitely go larger or smaller if needed.

2) Tie in a clump of deer hair about 2/3 down the shank of the hook.  I make about 3 good turns while holding the back of the hair so it stays on top of the hook while the tips flare out.  Then clip the backs as close as you can at a 45 degree angle.

3) Next I pull up about 1/3 of the hair and make a wrap in front of it, then proceed to pull up another third, again making a wrap in front of that, then finally pull the remaining hairs straight up and wrap in front so that all the hair is standing up on the fly.  Then be sure to build up a good thread dam in front of the wing as if you don’t, when the fly gets wet the wing will lean forward on you.  Then wrap the thread back to behind the wing and tie down the loose ends on that side.

4) Now tie in the CDC feather on top of the hook shank.  I don’t worry about how long the tail sticks out as I cut it later.

5) Continue securing the CDC feather wraping back to where the shank meets the bend.

6) Now I trim the tail to about 3/4 hook shank length.

7) Next tie in a Goose or Turkey Biot Quill with the notch facing left.  Advance the thread to just behind the wing.

Wrap the biot using nice even wraps toward where you stopped the thread, then tie it off and clip the excess.

9) Next I simply dub a nice football shaped thorax using 2-3 wraps behind the wing and 3-4 in the front of it.

10) Finally make a nice even thread head and tie off the fly.  Dab some head cement on there and you are ready to fish.

Play with the color scheme to match other mayfly hatches in your area as well.  I like this pattern tied in appropriate colors for the summertime PMD hatches too.  Most of all have fun and catch some fish!

This article by: BaseCampLegends.com

See the original article at TeamHuntress.com

general outdoors

Peachka Knocked Your Deer Over

I know my husband isn’t the only one with an imaginary friend.  Even if you’re over the age of 3, it isn’t unusual for some of you to have an imaginary friend.  If strange things happen around your house, like they do ours, you too probably have an imaginary friend.

Our imaginary friend is a female named Peachka and has lived with us since the day I moved in with my hunter…

Jody:  Mark, I can’t find my keys.

Mark:  Maybe Peachka took them.

——————–

Jody:  Why is there a penny in the bathtub? You got undressed in the bedroom.  WT? Ewww.

Mark:  It’s probably Peachkas.

——————–

Jody: Who ate all my cupcakes and put the empty box back in the cabinet.

Mark:  It wasn’t me.

Jody:  There are two of us that live here.  Me and you.

Mark:  It was probably Peachka.  I noticed she’s gaining a bit of weight?

——————–

Jody suffering from 29 year old hot flashes:  Umm Mark, did you turn the heat up again?

Mark: No.

Jody:  Well it’s on 72 and I had it on 66.  This isn’t Florida.  If you want to walk around the house in a t-shirt move south.

Mark:  I didn’t touch the heat. I’m not kidding.

Jody:  Today is not the day Mark.

Mark:  It wasn’t me.

Jody:  Oh .. I suppose Peachka did. Go ahead say it.

——————–

My hot flash took over…

Tonight when I get home, there better be a place setting for Peachka.

When we go shopping at Cabelas this weekend, you need to sit in the back seat ’cause Peachka is sitting in the front seat with me.  And when I’m having a conversation with Peachka at Cabelas, everyone will be staring at you.

Oh and tonight … make sure you sleep in the guest bedroom ’cause that’s where Peachka sleeps.

Have a good day all … I have to go pick up a deer head and glue it’s 20 point horns back on.  Peachka knocked it off the damn wall and I swear it wasn’t me.

See the original article at TheHuntersWife.net

general outdoors

Online Shopping with Your Favorite Blogs

If you’re like most people shopping for the perfect Christmas gift, you are probably doing most of your shopping online.  More and more people are shopping right from the comfort of their homes.  But did you know you can do your online shopping while helping support your fellow bloggers?

Here’s how it works:

I have an affiliate link on the left hand side of my blog for Cabelas.  Right now Cabelas is running a promotion for $20 off merchandise orders of $100 or more.

If you click on the link from my blog, you get $20 off your purchase and I would get a commission from Cabelas for your purchase.  Your purchase is completely confidential with Cabelas.  So there are no privacy issues.  It’s that easy.

Help support your favorite blogs by shopping through them this holiday season.  I know that is how I’m shopping this year.

If you run a blog, please make sure your affiliate links are easy to find. I know a few bloggers I wanted to do shopping through but I couldn’t find their affiliate links.

Have a good day all and happy shopping!

See the original article at TheHuntersWife.net

general outdoors

Fly of the Month – Modified Zebra Midge

Late fall has arrived and a short flurry of snow here today reminded me that winter is on its way. Unless your favorite fishing location closes for the winter though you don’t need to hang up the fly rod just yet. I have a pattern that has become a favorite of mine from late fall through the early spring months. It is simple, and it works as a great midge pupa imitation.

I fish it a variety of ways. Often I will fish it with a double nymph rig as the bottom fly fishing it deep with the aid of split shot. In the spring I like to use it as a dropper off an adult Skwala Stonefly pattern on rivers that have that hatch and fish it in the top foot of the water column. It will work all year I am sure but my focus during the summer seems to shift to the many other hatches that take place and my use of this midge pattern takes a back seat.

Midges though are a popular winter staple for trout as they do hatch in many locations all year. Even on a cold winter day, the mid day sun can warm things up enough to bring about a midge hatch that will bring even the most lethargic of cold blooded trout to the surface.

This pattern is basically a Zebra Midge with a few slight modifications. It’s simple to tie, and has for the last couple years been my top fish catching pattern on a variety of rivers.

Figure 1-I usually tie this pattern on hooks size #18 or smaller. This one is on a #18 TMC 2457.

Figure 2-Push a 2mm nickel bead onto the hook.

Figure 3-Lay a base of black thread then I tie in a short tail of a few grizzly hackle fibers. Midges do not have a tail like a mayfly but I tie this with a few fibers at the end as I like to think it gives a little wiggle to the end of the fly.

Figure 4 – Tie in a short section of fine silver wire and advance the thread to the head of the fly building a slight taper with the thread as you go.

Figure 5 – Make evenly spaced wraps with the wire up to the head and tie off with the thread.

Figure 6 – Tie in a small loop of Iridescent Krystal Flash. Then whip finish and drop some head cement on the head and a little on the body of the fly.

Figure 7 – The finished product.

This article by: BaseCampLegends.com

See the original article at GotHunts.com

general outdoors

S.Dakota Pheasant Proposal Fails

PIERRE, S.D. – A proposal to increase the daily bag limit of pheasants from 3 to 5 was defeated at the monthly GFP Commission meeting in Pierre on Thursday.

A proposal needs five votes from the eight member Commission to become rule, but there were only four supporting the measure so the proposal failed to pass.

The bag limit for pheasants will remain at 3 daily and 15 in possession.

See the original article at GotHunts.com

general outdoors

Steelhead in High Water – 5 Tips

Here are 5 things to keep in mind when the water is high!

1. Go fishing. Nobody ever caught a steelhead sitting at home on their couch. Don’t give up just because you don’t have 3 feet of visbility. The fish are still out there, just in different places. If the river’s in flood stage and conditions are dangerous, be safe and stay away. Otherwise, get out there!

1. Fish a short line. When the river’s low, the best holding water for steelhead is often out in the middle of the river in the main current. When the river is high, they still prefer the same kind of water – only now, that water is often right up against the bank. Fish aren’t going to fight massive flows in the middle of the runs when the water is up, so keep your line short and cover the juicy holding water that’s now often 5 to 40 feet in front of you.
2. Fish lighter tips. Contrary to what your intuition may tell you, you generally don’t need to be too deep when the water is up. With less clarity and higher flows, steelhead feel safer in shallower, softer water. That means that dredging may put your fly beneath the fish. On the end of that short line that you’re casting, fish a lighter sinktip. You may be surprised at what you find in not very much water.
3. Fish big flies. Here’s your chance to break out the giant Intruders! Those big profile flies were designed for conditions in which it takes a big fly to get the attention of the fish. Go big. The right colors will depend on the river that you’re fishing, but in general, darker colors tend to be more visible in dirty water.
4. Look for soft water. You already know that you should mostly be fishing a shorter line to stay out of the really heavy current. Steelhead like softer water when the level is up, so you should be on the lookout for it at all times. Maybe it’s right up against the bank. Maybe it forms on the edge of a big current seam. Maybe you should think about checking out a big back eddy. Think like a fish – where are the comfortable holding spots when the main river has all that current? Fish there.

Check our directory for some great steelhead fishing.
Post by: Deneki

See the original article at GotHunts.com

general outdoors

Dead Bag Buck & A Grass Kisser

Just another ordinary day at the house of a deer hunter:

Time: 5:00 am – in a dark house.

Mark: Jody can you come in here please.
Jody: Where are you?
Mark: In the kitchen.

I turned the corner, flipped on the kitchen light and there it sat.

And it scared the bejeebies out of me.

My husband’s friend’s buck.

And thank goodness I’m not the cook around here because I’d have an attack if I saw that in my freezer.

In the 2 years I’ve been running this outdoor blog, the input here is 100% mine.  But for some odd reason my husband thought he needed to dictate Larry’s story to me.

And I quote:

Larry scored this 3 1/2 year old 8 pointer on his property out of a tree stand on opening day of shot gun. He weighed out at 186 lbs and will be sent to Critter’s Taxidermy in Winamac, Indiana where John Ingram has mounted several heads for me. (My husband)

Yes dear readers, my husband obviously has no clue I run a humorous outdoor blog. He thinks he might get away with being all serious as to how, when, and where this buck was harvested.

It doesn’t matter how good a friend Larry is, neither one of them are getting away with some serious buck story on my outdoor site.  You will never hear me say, “Damn, that’s a nice buck”.

Because I don’t talk like that.

That would be over my dead … 6 point fake buck.

And I think mine weighed 186.5 lbs.

And mine still has his little legs.

Wooo wait a minute … what is wrong with me!

For the love of grass clippings.  Larry owns Meier’s Landscaping & Lawn Service and is in charge of my yard while my hunter is away hunting and I’m busy watching my love movies eating pizza with my feet up.

“Damn!!! That’s a nice buck!”

Have a good day all  … Luv,  The GR Ass Kisser.

If you’re in the Winamac, Indiana area and are looking for a taxidermist, you can call John Ingram at 1-574-946-6857.

If you’re in the Northwest Indiana area and need any lawn or landscaping work done, you can call Larry Meier at 1-219-989-9070.

See the original article at TheHuntersWife.net

general outdoors

411 There’s Someone In My Bushes

My very own – could be a lifetime movie – true story …

I had just sold my townhouse and moved in with my hunter.  The house belonged to my husband’s Grandfather and we decided we would stay there until we found a house together. Grandpa’s house was an older home surrounded by very old large evergreen trees and bushes.  The house sat on a corner on a very busy street just down from the local high school.  I never felt unsafe there until one very dark cold fall morning.

Mark and I just got a new puppy.  Having a new puppy requires lots of training at all hours of the night and early morning hours in a very dark and scary backyard.  Mark had just left for work at about 4:00 a.m. and of course the dog wanted out.  I threw on a sweatshirt, turned the back porch light on and we headed out the back stairs. Mark and I stayed on the third floor that exited out 1 set of stairs to a landing and then as you turned left to another set of stairs that lead to the backyard.  After the first set of stairs, I turned on the landing to the second set of stairs and there he was.  Someone in the bushes about 20 feet ahead.  I stood frozen with my dog in my arms.  It felt like a lifetime before my brain caught up with what I saw and what I was suppose to do.

Finally, I quickly stomped up the stairs, slammed the door and called 911.

Except isn’t wasn’t 911.

Operator:  City and State please.

Panicked maniac:  Hammond, Indiana.

Operator:  Listing please.

Oh dear god.  I called 411.

By this time I was shaking and in a panic.  What if he ran up the stairs after me?  I finally reached 911 and then I called Mark at work.  There was an off duty police officer in the area that knew Mark and knew we were living there.  From the window, I watched the police officer search the grounds as Mark pulled up.  They both searched the neighborhood and saw nothing.

I was hysterical.  I kept replaying it in my mind.  How long I just stood there.  Frozen in time. Staring at him.  He was tall, wearing a dark sweatshirt and sweatpants.  His hood was up and his head was down hiding between two of the evergreens.  I will forever have that image etched in my brain.

Police officer:  Maybe it was just the paperboy.  Try to calm down.

Me:  It wasn’t the paperboy.  He stood there with his head down. Hiding.  Right there.

Mark:  Maybe he was pissing in the bushes.

Me:  No words were necessary.  The look on my face said it all.

They were there for a good hour before Mark headed back to work and I headed to my mother-in-law’s house just a few doors down.  My mother-in-law and brother-in-law tried convincing me of the same.  Or maybe it was a jogger. Everyone was making me crazy and they needed to stop talking.  I needed to call my Mom.  She will understand.  But it was the same sympathy.  No one wanted to scare me and agree there was someone in our bushes.

When I told my story to others;

A friend:  I’d agree it was probably the paperboy.

The friends state trooper friend:  I’d agree, it was probably the paperboy pissing in the bushes.

Me:  Or … Ummm …  Maybe it was the Tooth Fairy or Santa.

There was no paperboy in the neighborhood that morning.  There was no jogger.  The person in the bushes would have seen the light go on and heard me come down the first set of stairs.  Yet they never moved.

No one will ever convince me otherwise.  I know what I saw.  I know how I felt and I know what could have happened.

I also know this – you never know how you will react in situations until those situations happen.  I never thought I’d just stand there frozen as long as I did before it hit me what I needed to do.

And for the love of working in an office for over 20 years – 411 can I help you? Oh dear god.

Have a good day all … I need to practice my 911 dialing skills like a 2 year old.  Even a dog has dialed 911.

See the original article at TheHuntersWife.net

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