Finally, a big enough bobber

Strike indicator. Thingamabobber. Floaty thing. Call it what you will. There are some folks who frown on attaching a visual aid to your leader to signal when your fly has a customer down under. On a private float last year some buddies and I tried sharing the river with an outfitter whose guides either had unique interpretations of river etiquette or none at all. It was hard to tell. One of our fun interactions featured them trying to barge in and poach a run my buddy and I were just starting to fish. When asked what the deuce, the reply was: “Well, you’re indicator fishing, right?”

Answer: yes. Implication: spey rods trump bobber rigs because . . . it’s harder, I guess? Very well. I’ll go along with that. Next time I see that particular guide I’m going to snorkel through the run and go after steelhead with my bare hands. Problem solved. We can all go back to getting along now.

Sorry, makers of calamine lotion. Thanks to Jeff Yanke and Kyle Bratcher over at ODFW Fisheries for organizing a trail cleanup last year to remove poison ivy and blackberry bushes on one of our popular riverside trails. I would have loved to be there because coming in contact with both of those bushes is my very favorite thing. But I was, uhm, I had . . . uhhh . . . I couldn’t make it. I did get to see their handiwork last weekend though and it looks like Zorro put on a machete class. Kyle, Jeff and whatever work crew you commandeered from prison, thank you all.

Behold what 80% chance of rain looks like, pictured below. Some of the Winding Waters crew and comrades got out last weekend with a not very encouraging weather prediction. Gusty winds up to 35 mph. Rain. Boiling seas. Dogs and cats living together. But if you have the proper gear, it doesn’t much matter. Although it does help if the weather forecast was written by some crackhead who was waaaaay off.

Name that critter. Had some fun wildlifey viewings last trip to the river. These here had me fooled at first from afar. Thought it was one thing, but looking through my far-seeing tubes revealed this as a something else. Hint: rhymes with Opp-ih-tie.

Mark the calendar.

Frostbite Film Festival fundraiser function for Fergi featuring films, philantropy and . . . I’m all out of f-words, except for that one.

Anyway, come to the OK Theater Thursday Feb. 12 from 6 to 9. Details on The Facebooks page.

Adios, amoebas.