Leaving for Andros in the morning

If I am not fully prepared for this trip, I'll never be. Reels have been reloaded with backing, lines have been bought and loaded. Rods have been built. Two nights ago I grabbed a fly box to bring along as my "pocket" box. The fact that it was empty gnawed at me so I tied 3 doz flies to fill it. I'm not even bringing my vice and tying supplies. If they don't eat what I'm bringing... I've tied more bimini twists in the past week than I have my entire life. Leaders were tied, knots glued. I even wore my flats boots around the house today to soften them up.

Please don't pity me. I'll be OK.

I'll post an update when I get back.

Andros 3 - gearing up

I already have a few 8 weights which doesn't explain why, when Shocks called and said he got a 5pc 8wt St Croix Legend Elite blank the last time he stopped by the factory in Park Falls, I decided that he was onto something. See, my problem is luggage. A standard 4pc 9' rod just barely squeezes into my largest checked luggage bag and changes the bag's shape from a rectangle to a parallelogram. Now a 5 pc...

You get my point.

So, calls were made, the brown truck pulled up with a few boxes followed by a few evenings sniffing cork dust and epoxy, squinting one eye and lining up guides with the other. That kind of stuff.

The rod is currently downstairs turning and drying. Whoever coined the phrase "like watching paint dry" didn't say "like watching epoxy dry". I've spent a great deal of time watching those 5 sections spin on the drying rack while the epoxy hardens. If you angle the light right you can inspect each guide to see if there are any aberrations or flaws in the finish by gazing deeply at the line of reflected light on the epoxy. Really fascinating stuff and not at all boring...like paint.

So Andros, I've tied my flies, bought my ticket and now I've even added a rod...if you don't give freely of your bonefish, it's not going to be for lack of preparation.

BEC Early Season

JP and I ripped out to the "crick" last Sunday and attended service. We found ourselves in the midst of a stunning 60 some degree day with good flow and better than normal visibility. I decided to go big or go home and although the flies and tippet size were in the big category, the fish were "just" nice. I think we managed 7 or 8 fish between us. All healthy 11"-13" (Maaaaybeeee 14"?) fish. I will say that John outfished me. Not that it matters or that I'm keeping score. I just know he did and I'm saying so. We pounded the banks and likely runs, through high sun, thankful that the snow shovel kept our casting arms in shape this winter.

The T-shirts are in...

...and already smell pretty bad.

Andros 2

The dust is off the vice...

Andros 1

Dear Andros Island,

Flies are being tied.
We'll see you soon.

-E

Cabin fever creativity

You may have noticed at the bottom of my blog page a logo for Christensen Bros. Unincorporated.
A fictional non-profit that I made up for grins... we sell nothing, which is nice because we never have to collect sales tax. Well since we are in a recession and our sales of nothing have been flat (in 2007 we grossed zero dollars and this year we again grossed zero dollars), I thought a new marketing effort was in order. Presenting the NEW and IMPROVED!!!! look of the Christensen BROS. Unincorporated. Truthfully I was tired of paying $25 buck for a Sage T-shirt and so I decided to create my own line of stickers and t-shirts. It's my small way of wearing fish schwag without selling out to the man. The first order of t-shirts (3) one large for me and 2 XL for my business partners are on order along with 20 stickers. If you are motivated to join our troop and want a t-shirt to prove it, let me know and I will order one up for you. I think they are $18.95 plus shipping...which allows for a profit of Zero for the CBU.