tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-113185232024-03-07T22:06:24.811-05:00Song of Myself"Have we not grovel'd here long enough, eating and drinking like mere brutes?"Matthew D Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03632800892744296973noreply@blogger.comBlogger382125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11318523.post-66070439954788686152008-06-24T00:47:00.002-04:002008-06-24T00:48:16.972-04:00fishbeer.comAfter much anticipation, Fishbeer.com is now live. Please enjoy. <br /><br /><a href="http://fishbeer.com">Fishbeer.com</a>Matthew D Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03632800892744296973noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11318523.post-57921137219853367292008-06-22T20:03:00.004-04:002008-06-22T20:24:50.675-04:00what creek? sugar creek.Amy and I traveled to Shades State Park on Friday to see what is touted as one of the most beautiful natural places in Indiana. We took my boat and floated a short section of Sugar Creek above Shades State Park. <br /><br />Shades is pretty. We didn't see too much of it, but it is definitely pretty. Turkey Run State Park, just a couple miles down Sugar Creek, is supposed to be similar. The bad thing about Shades is that the campground was full. People were there to party and party they did. All. Night. Long. Of course, pleasant weather, mid-June, Friday night might have something to do with it. Whatever. The take home message here is perhaps, unless you want to drink all night long with your neighbors, stay away from Shades on the weekends. <br /><br />Sugar Creek was nice. It was a nice float. The boat performed well. I even caught a couple smallish smallmouth bass. But Clement's Canoes, the outfitter that ran a shuttle for us at a reasonable $25, was kind of booked up and while scheduled for an 11:00am shuttle, didn't get on the water until 1:00pm. Not sure what the take home message is here. Maybe just don't count on an on-time shuttle on a nice Saturday in June. <br /><br />Also, try to avoid wicked hail storms when breaking down your boat.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sug1.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sug3.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sug2.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sug4.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sug5.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sug6.jpg" /><br /><br />By the way, the new blog is imminent.Matthew D Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03632800892744296973noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11318523.post-83900670357488459582008-06-19T23:49:00.003-04:002008-06-19T23:56:11.946-04:00thingsI've been doing a lot of things lately. <br /><br />It was Adam and Katie's wedding. This is Ben and Leigh who are themselves getting married in a few short weeks. <br /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/ch3.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/ch4.jpg" /><br /><br />Click to enlarge.<br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/ch5b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/ch5.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I explored more of my favorite creek and caught many fine bass.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/ch6.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/ch7.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/ch8.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/ch9.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/ch10.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/ch11.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/ch12.jpg" /><br /><br />Dr. Saunders came through town and I dragged him out to go fishing.<br /><br />Click to enlarge.<br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/ch1b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/ch1.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/ch2.jpg" />Matthew D Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03632800892744296973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11318523.post-66756595851303622322008-06-03T20:28:00.003-04:002008-06-03T20:36:14.626-04:00good for philadelphia<a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91126260&ft=1&f=2">Philadelphia is going to kick the Boy Scouts out of a rent-free city building unless they change their policy of excluding gays</a> or start paying rent. I am an eagle scout, and think being a Boy Scout was good for me. However, I remember having problems with the religious component of the Scouts and their intolerance for gays. <br /><br />Welcome to the 21st century Boy Scouts.Matthew D Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03632800892744296973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11318523.post-12616189613304269012008-05-31T14:59:00.004-04:002008-05-31T15:13:06.671-04:00bass bonanzaWent fishing a couple days ago with a guy I met on the <a href="http://indianasmallmouthalliance.org/">Indiana Smallmouth Alliance</a> discussion forum. Pretty cool guy. Got me onto a nice fish. Here is a picture:<br /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sc3.JPG" /><br /><br />Then, yesterday, I went to my favorite little creek and explored upstream further than I ever have before. And it was worth every extra step. I found a long, deep, boulder strewn pool with many smallmouth bass cruising about. I saw one fish that had to be at least 20 inches. A true monster. I caught at least five or six smallies over 15" (I'm guessing on the size, you be the judge below) and a number of fish in the 10"-12" range as well. The new stretch of water is quite pretty and secluded. I very much enjoyed fishing there. But I do need to get a stripping guard. <br /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/bb1.JPG" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/bb2.JPG" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/bb3.JPG" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/bb4.JPG" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/bb5.JPG" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/bb6.JPG" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/bb7.JPG" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/bb8.JPG" />Matthew D Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03632800892744296973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11318523.post-38923575885946850932008-05-27T20:19:00.003-04:002008-05-27T20:27:24.164-04:00stripers not strippers: a photographic extravaganzaAdam is getting married to the beautiful Katie in two weeks. So, for his bachelor party, we rented a house and chartered a boat on Tilghman Island on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay at <a href="http://www.chesapeakehouse.com/">Harrison's Chesapeake House</a>. And we fished for stripers. Striped bass. Rock fish. We caught a ton.<br /><br />And everyone knows that a good, Irish-made, 10 pound Shepard's pie is the best fishing food and a fine good luck charm. <br /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp1.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp2.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp3.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp4.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp5.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp6.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp7.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp8.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp9.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp10.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp11.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp12.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp13.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp14.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp15.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp16.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp17.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp18.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp19.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp20.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp21.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp22.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp23.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp24.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp25.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp26.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp27.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp28.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp29.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp30.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp31.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp32.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp33.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp34.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp35.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp36.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp37.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp38.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp39.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp40.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp41.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp42.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp43.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp44.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp45.jpg" /><br /><br />On Sunday R and I went back to Pell's house and fished the Potomac and B&O Canal north of DC for bass. I didn't have much luck fly fishing but Pell and R caught a couple nice smallies. <br /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp46.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp47.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp48.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp49.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp50.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp51.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/abp52.jpg" /><br /><br />More video to follow.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/aWZccsvuAv8&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/aWZccsvuAv8&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>Matthew D Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03632800892744296973noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11318523.post-91134241521436074942008-05-18T23:39:00.005-04:002008-05-19T00:01:22.920-04:00ain't no high water gonna' keep me homeI braved the high, turbid, turquoise waters of my favorite little creek today and scored this nice smallmouth on a new variation of my sculpin pattern.<br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/fw1b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/fw1.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Then, I went to Yaniv's house to drink a bunch of stouts and porters for NO MAAM night which is men's night which I assume is also a clever acronym for something. It was at Yaniv's house that I learned that Yaniv had been caught by one of Google's cameras and can be seen in three or four images on Google Street View outside the Runcible spoon apparently on a Saturday or Sunday morning because that's when Yaniv goes there. Note that he is recently showered as his afro is not in full effect. Also, note Yaniv's Honda Civic Hybrid and how he is actually waiting for the Google car before crossing the road. Yaniv's infamous thong picture was also discussed and it turns out that it was stored on my old Insight account, thus it no longer comes up on the first page of a Google image search for "yaniv". So I must repost it here. Google runs the world. Long live Yaniv. Simulations are not experiments. <br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/yanivgoogle1b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/yanivgoogle1.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/yanivgoogle2b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/yanivgoogle2.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/yanivthongb.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/yanivthong.jpg" /></a>Matthew D Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03632800892744296973noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11318523.post-84084939573404650362008-05-11T13:15:00.003-04:002008-05-11T13:38:31.450-04:00behold the boatI received my boat on Monday. It is an Outcast Fish Cat 13 (the pontoons are 13' long). It is an inflatable pontoon boat, also known as a cataraft. Outcast is a division of AIRE inflatables, one of the leaders in the whitewater raft and cataraft industry, one of the reasons I chose this boat over some others. <br /><br />A cataraft is pretty much two inflatable pontoons connected by some sort of frame. There are large and small catarafts. They were designed, I believe, primarily for whitewater paddling and river running. Here are some videos of some serious whitewater catarafts (that cost much more than mine). This is a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MIZcr1CAfs">16' cataraft</a> surfing a big wave. And here is <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GANiPBrFHKg">a video</a> that includes a bunch of catarafts running Lochsa Falls in Idaho. I think it's actually the same place as the first video. <br /><br />Outcast claims my boat could handle that river, but I don't think I could. <br /><br />Catarafts have also proven to be excellent fishing platforms. This is because catarafts are extremely stable. You can stand up in them and lean over the side or the front and it won't tip over. Try that in a kayak or canoe. And they are lighter and go more places than a drift boat or skiff can. <br /><br />My boat comes with a modular two-seat frame. I have it set up for one person right now. And I can actually car top it (that's the higher seat pedestal in the picture with my car which is convenient for fishing but not so much for rowing). <br /><br />I caught this beautiful bass in a lake 10 minutes from my house. I like my new boat. <br /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/grf1.jpg" /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/grf2b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/grf2.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/grf3b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/grf3.jpg" /></a>Matthew D Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03632800892744296973noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11318523.post-2413554477386048152008-05-05T12:57:00.001-04:002008-05-05T12:58:06.090-04:00behold the boat...in my garage. It is here. The boxes were heavy. I have to make my syllabus for summer session before I can play with it. Damn. <br /><br />Photos to follow.Matthew D Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03632800892744296973noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11318523.post-35219155888212787642008-05-02T14:49:00.002-04:002008-05-02T14:56:42.492-04:00Aesculus is blooming, dem bass are eatingAfter driving to the airport this morning at 4:45am I went fishing at my favorite creek again. It stormed a bit but that's ok. Because I caught a lot of base and it was actually a rather nice day and I saw a large water snake. I caught a large smallmouth and several spotted bass. And this beautiful rock bass for Pell.<br /><br />Click all to enlarge.<br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/st7b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/st7.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/st3b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/st3.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/st1b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/st1.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/st4b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/st4.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/st5b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/st5.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/st2b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/st2.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/st6b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/st6.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And isn't this a fucking tease? The boat sits lonely and cold in a warehouse in Indy...<br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/ups.jpg" />Matthew D Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03632800892744296973noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11318523.post-75415338820217852602008-04-30T20:41:00.006-04:002008-04-30T20:54:35.019-04:00indiana springtime smallmouth...are everywhere except stinesvilleI have the makings of one fine fishbeer.com post. It's about Stinesville. And Jack's Defeat Creek. But that has to wait. I went back to my favorite creek the other day and caught a couple more smallies and many more rock bass for MB Pell. <br /><br />Also, my boat is scheduled to arrive on Monday people. Monday. Unfortunately, the boat's arrival coincides with Brian's. Brian is going to have to ride the boat whether he likes it or not. <br /><br />Behold them. Click to enlarge them. <br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/bf6b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/bf6.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/bf7b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/bf7.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/bf8b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/bf8.jpg" /></a>Matthew D Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03632800892744296973noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11318523.post-35213108819861865822008-04-24T21:02:00.008-04:002008-04-24T21:41:18.189-04:00dem bass ate real goodClick to enlarge all. <br /><br />I caught this rock bass just for MB Pell.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/bf2b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/bf2.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Then I caught this portly smallmouth just for me. <br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/bf4b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/bf4.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/bf5b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/bf5.jpg" /></a><br /><br />This fish took the rabbit fur fly I made earlier. I guess it's closest to a sculpin in the water, but I'm happy to just call it an attractor pattern. <br /><br />That's a pretty nice fish for a river this small.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/bf1b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/bf1.jpg" /></a><br /><br />But that's what Indiana Catch and Release* regs will do for you I suppose. <br /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/bf3.jpg" /><br /><br />*Some Indiana rivers do have regulations actually designed to improve the catch and release fishery, for example Sugar Creek has a 1 fish 20" or larger regulation and the Blue River has a slot regulation, something like keep no fish between 10" and 15". I just hope my favorite little river is never deemed unpolluted.Matthew D Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03632800892744296973noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11318523.post-32784530203798470502008-04-24T15:27:00.002-04:002008-04-24T15:29:28.475-04:00bass foodI made bass food. I will now attempt to feed the bass. <br /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/bassfood.jpg" />Matthew D Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03632800892744296973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11318523.post-54155497408478909562008-04-23T09:16:00.002-04:002008-04-23T09:21:55.599-04:00catching stonerollers for MB PellMichael B Pell is a bit of a snob when it comes to gamefish. Therefore, I heretofore forever more take it upon myself to fish exclusively for rising, spawning stonerollers with a Turks Tarantula. I particularly like how colored up this fish is. And his tubercles. I also caught my first trophy smallmouth of the season yesterday.<br /><br />Click both to enlarge.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/str1b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/str1.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/str2b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/str2.jpg" /></a>Matthew D Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03632800892744296973noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11318523.post-32607163142496368962008-04-20T21:00:00.004-04:002008-04-20T22:08:43.458-04:00clifty wildernessThe <a href="http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/boone/districts/cumberland/clifty.shtml">Clifty Wilderness</a> is a federally designated wilderness area located in central eastern Kentucky. It is part of the <a href="http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/boone/districts/cumberland/redriver_gorge.shtml">Red River Gorge Geological Area</a> which is part of the Cumberland Ranger District of the Daniel Boone National Forest. The federal management units in that area seem to be a real bureaucratic cluster fuck. The area seems to be heavily used and may need a more centralized management structure than the Forest Service can currently provide in order to minimize damage to the natural resources the area provides. See <a href="http://www.uky.edu/OtherOrgs/KRWW/PW-RR.htm">this website</a> for a good summary of some of the problems. <br /><br />The most accessible area of the wilderness, and the only place where trails are maintained by the forest service, is in the Swift Camp Creek gorge. Swift Camp Creek is tributary to the Red River that cuts a rugged gorge for twelve miles or so from the town of Campton (where the four lane Bert Combs highway ends) down to the Red River. The section of the creek in the wilderness is all downstream from the highway and the town of Campton which might have something to do with some of the bad things about the Swift Camp Creek gorge. <br /><br />Here are some things one might want to know before heading to the Swift Camp Creek Gorge. <br /><br />(1) While the gorge truly feels like a wild place, a prehistoric place, with old growth hemlocks and white pines, 200' cliff faces, caves, waterfalls, house sized boulders, rhododendron thickets like the best in North Carolina, moss and liverworts dripping from every tree etc. etc., the river was full of trash. There were many, many tires, right in the middle of the river miles from any road, plastic soda bottles, white styrofoam coolers and this was all just in the river. In areas where people obviously camp a lot there was some toilet paper, cigarette butts, tin foil etc. Now the place wasn't trashed. But there was trash there. More trash then in other comparable places I've been.<br /><br />(2) If you're interested in fishing the creek, as I was, or any other creeks in the area, be forewarned that they aren't so hot. Some older regulations say that Swift Camp Creek is stocked for 8 wiles in the Clifty with rainbow, twice a year, and it is delayed harvest. But if you look at the 2008 regs, they say only about 1 mile upstream from the Red River is stocked. I didn't see any fish in the river. No smallmouth, no largemouth, no Kentucky spotted bass, nada. Maybe they were there, but I didn't see them. Though here <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=nJa1vgT22ZU">is some good video</a> of people catching trout, presumably on Swift Camp Creek because they say Rainbow trout and I'm not sure if any other creeks are stocked with rainbows in the red river gorge.<br /><br />Chimney Top Creek is in Red River Gorge as well and is touted as one of Kentucky's best "hold over" brown trout (read: put-grow-take) fisheries. Well, the creek is quite small and I didn't see a single trout in it.<br /><br />Dog Fork is a small tributary to Swift Camp Creek in the Clifty and is one of four creeks in Kentucky that hold wild brook trout. Looked like brook trout water to me. But I didn't see a single trout there either. <br /><br />Needless to say, Kentucky doesn't have great trout fishing (unless you count the Cumberland tailwater). Then again, I didn't really give these creeks a thorough fishing either. But from what I saw, they weren't so great.<br /><br />(3) As I mentioned above, Swift Camp Creek gorge is super rugged. I was looking forward to exploring the river a bit, but that is nearly impossible as the Swift Camp Creek Trail, #219, though it does follow the Swift Camp Creek, follows about 100' above the river on the west side. There are a very very very few trails down to the river (there is good access where Dog Fork runs into the river). Most of the time it is a sheer cliff or even an undercut cliff. One slip of the foot at the wrong place and you're toast. Hopefully that comes through in some of my pictures below. Similarly, the trail is narrow, angled towards the river, very rocky and rooty, and muddy after rain. It goes up and down and up and down and follows creek beds sometimes. There's not a lot of net elevation gain, but it is tough hiking. <br /><br />(4) Finally, I had a hard time finding a good topo map of the area. One of the only ones I found is made by <a href="http://www.outragegis.com/">Outrage GIS</a>. DON'T BUY THIS MAP. There is a better one endorsed and published by the USDA that is a real topo map. The OutrageGIS map is a topo map, but the contour intervals are fucking huge, number one, and number two, the whole goddamn map is printed over a shitty green satellite photo of the area. This makes it confusing to look at and the shading on the photo is all fucked up so that ridges look like valleys and vice versa. It's a terrible map for many other reasons I hope to detail in a post in a series I will call "my maps." Buy the USDA map, not the OutrageGIS map. <br /><br />OK then. The rant is over. Here are some pictures. It was quite a nice trip actually. I just had a hard time finding information on the area online so I thought I should actually put some detailed commentary up here. <br /><br />Click many to enlarge.<br /><br />The rare Kentucky Snow Nymph emerging from her egg case.<br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn1.jpg" /><br /><br />On Chimney Top Rock<br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn2b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn2.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br />The Trillium were en fuego.<br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn3b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn3.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br />So were the morels.<br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn4.jpg" /><br /><br />And black snakes. Snow nymph is not a huge fan of snakes. <br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn5.jpg" /> <br /><br />Above Creation Falls on a tributary to Swift Camp Creek.<br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn6b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn6.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Creation falls again.<br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn7.jpg" /><br /><br />Rock Bridge over Swift Camp Creek. Note three beer cans on lower left side of picture. <br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn8b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn8.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br />This picture might give you some idea about the difficulty in accessing the river from the trail.<br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn9b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn9.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br />Swift Camp Creek<br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn10b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn10.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Swift Camp Creek<br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn11b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn11.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn12.jpg" /><br /><br />Dog Fork<br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn13b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn13.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br />Dog Fork<br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn14.jpg" /><br /><br />Me crossing Dog Fork.<br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn15b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn15.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br />Amy at the confluence of Dog Fork and Swift Camp Creek.<br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn16b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn16.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br />On Swift Camp Creek.<br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn17b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn17.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br />Swift Camp Creek<br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn18b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn18.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br />At the end of the Swift Camp Creek trail.<br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn19b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/sn19.jpg" /></a>Matthew D Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03632800892744296973noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11318523.post-25456156604392543942008-04-15T20:42:00.004-04:002008-04-15T20:46:10.571-04:00behold the boat updateI haven't purchased a boat yet. But I'm one tax refund closer. Also, I've decided to buy a different boat. Vinyl bladders, but way better frame construction. Behold it: <br /><br />And click to enlarge. <br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/fishcat.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/fishcats.jpg" /></a>Matthew D Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03632800892744296973noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11318523.post-20093736986838099172008-04-14T12:27:00.003-04:002008-04-14T12:33:29.086-04:00writing in a southern accentI'm submitting a story for the <a href="http://www.flyrodreel.com/Fly-Rod-and-Reel-Online/Annual-Traver-Award/">Traver Award</a> today and I've been debating whether to write in a southern accent for one of the characters or not. I decided against it. But here is an excert before I changed it back to standard spelling. <br /><br />Is this obnoxious? Some of my favorite writes do it (Faulkner, Thomas Wolfe, Denis Johnson) and I love accents. I think they add a lot to a character. But I think for a contest for a mainstream fishing magazine it may hurt.<br /><br />“Ok. All rot. Fon. I was jus’ excited about gettin’ to fish fo some while trout on a famous reeva. I suppose I’m a little ahead of myself. Thanks for the pointers I gayess.”<br /><br />He turned and began to walk away. I made two false casts and dropped the fly at the head of the run about five feet in front of a previous rise and mended the line. A small fish rose and the man heard the splashing and turned around.<br /><br />“I stood here for two hours and didn’t catch a thing. Now you come up and WAYAM! on your first cayist!”<br /><br />................<br /><br />“Yeah, pretty crowded up there by the hatchery. That’s why I came down hee err, try an’ get away from ‘um.”<br /><br />“Then I came wading right into your hole. Sorry about that.”<br /><br />“That’s all rot. I wasn’t catchin’ anything anyway. You were catchin’ ‘em pretty good though.”<br /><br />“Yeah, I was doing ok. You really have to use tiny flies and small tippet. These fish are super selective.”<br /><br />“I gayess so.”Matthew D Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03632800892744296973noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11318523.post-83457449507533452302008-04-09T11:35:00.003-04:002008-04-10T10:30:16.285-04:00panthertown outted, Eastern Fly Fishing peddles misinformation!This was once a 1300 word rant about a recent article in Eastern Fly Fishing regarding southern strain brook trout. It was an incoherent ramble and I'm going to take some time and polish it up some more before I post it.<br /><br />With love,<br />Matthew D Dunn, DDS.Matthew D Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03632800892744296973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11318523.post-29695028044307553542008-04-06T22:32:00.003-04:002008-04-06T22:50:20.017-04:00indiana done got them hollers......and I ain't got no boat. Yet. <br /><br />These are pictures from a nice 10 mile trip on the Low Gap trail in Morgan-Monroe State Forest. <br /><br />Click all to enlarge.<br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/lg1b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/lg1.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/lg2b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/lg2.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/lg3b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/lg3.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/lg4b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/lg4.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/lg5b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/lg5.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/lg6b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/lg6.jpg" /></a>Matthew D Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03632800892744296973noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11318523.post-72639991579367245502008-03-26T18:39:00.003-04:002008-03-27T12:36:24.979-04:00sell guitar, buy boatI'm thinking of selling my electric guitar, amplifier, and pedals so that the impending boat purchase will not be entirely unsound financially speaking. I never play it any more. I've played it for maybe five hours total since I moved to Bloomington five years ago. I play my acoustic a lot, but not the electric. So I thought I'd make a video to show people how the guitar and amp sound (pretty good if you ask me, it's an Epiphone Sheraton from 1995 and a Crate Vintage Club 50 VC5310 amp, all tube, very nice). But I had such a good time making the video I'm having second thoughts about selling it.<br /><br />But if someone wants to give me $1000 for everything it's a done deal. <br /><br />Of course I was thinking of enlisting the Irishman's help and fabricating my own pontoon boat. That would be cheaper.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Mn1jh_BafQU&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Mn1jh_BafQU&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/HHbZKEzdGOA&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/HHbZKEzdGOA&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>Matthew D Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03632800892744296973noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11318523.post-70421683102874433192008-03-21T10:39:00.003-04:002008-03-21T10:52:34.779-04:00behold the boatI will purchase this boat from <a href="http://www.northforkoutdoors.com/homepagedirectory.html">North Fork</a> in the next few days. I will put it on my credit card. Then I will fish the ever lovin' bejesus out of the White River and Sugar Creek and probably some others as well. I will take 1000 mile float trips through the NW Territories. I'll sail the Yangtze. I'll tame the Tigris. Aggravate the Amazon. Sustain the Susquehanna. Devastate the Delaware. Maul the Madison. Blow up the Buffalo. You get the idea. Want to take a float trip with me? <br /><br /><img src="http://www.fishbeer.com/images/mckenziex213.jpg" /><br /><a href="http://www.northforkoutdoors.com/McKenziegallery/mckenziemain.html"><br />Behold more pictures here. </a>Matthew D Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03632800892744296973noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11318523.post-10254019058453255012008-03-17T11:40:00.002-04:002008-03-17T11:48:45.147-04:00Spring Break Extravaganze 2008 Part III: wherein our hero consumes a wild pig tamaleI am a coyote in a frozen field hunting morning mice. I am a black bear carcass rotting slowly in the cold woods. I am one hundred species of salamander scampering amongst wet leaf litter. I am a war painted brook trout rising with a cocksure pop to a mayfly. I am a lazy brown trout just hooked on a midge in a writhing slimy circle of fat meat. I am a six hundred year old hemlock in the Cataloochee Valley dying. I’m a gully washer eroding the mountain side silting the river. I am the Southern Apple Latch In Mountains. <br /><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp081.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp082.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp0811.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp083.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp084.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp085.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp086.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp087.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp088.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp089.jpg" /><br /><br />Stopped on the Delayed Harvest section of the rather high and muddy Tuckaseegee River on my way home and caught five or six stockers on Double Bunnies and big rubber leg stone flies. This is Mr. Fatty Labrador: <br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp0810.jpg" />Matthew D Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03632800892744296973noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11318523.post-79521777440325199272008-03-15T13:24:00.004-04:002008-03-15T13:46:54.611-04:00Spring Break Extravaganze 2008 Part II: wherein our hero catches many fat troutsThe Davidson River begins as rainfall running off parkway asphalt at 6000'. It percolates through Pisgah's Spruce-Fir forest and falls off the flanks of Cold Mountain. It runs through a fish hatchery then winds through four wild catch and release fly fishing only miles until running out flat and slow into Brevard. <br /><br />The fish run large. They see a lot of fisherman so you can walk right on top of them. But they also see a lot of flies so they're rather difficult to catch. Midges are their standard fare and small, sparsely dressed is the only way to catch them most of the time (though large mayflies were hatching, blue quills?, but they weren't feeding on them at all). I didn't use anything smaller than #22. I caught most of the fish below on #26 parachute, thread body midges. I love casting tiny flies on 7x tippet to large sipping fishes. Lot like tailwater fishing. <br /><br />I caught a lot of fish. Which was nice after getting skunked in the park. I caught a lot of average size, 12" rainbows and browns but also a fair number of larger, fatter brown trout. I hooked up with some very large fish, 20"+, but broke them off. I also caught the same brook trout twice. Probably an escapee from the hatchery. <br /><br />Click none to enlarge.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp810.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp811.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp89.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp818.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp822.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp815.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp812.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp814.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp816.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp823.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp817.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp819.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp813.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp820.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp821.jpg" /><br /><br />Stay tuned for part III wherein our hero digs ditches in Cullowhee to prepare for the arrival of the Atlantean tornadoes.Matthew D Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03632800892744296973noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11318523.post-38843142525733672972008-03-13T19:52:00.004-04:002008-03-14T00:06:45.777-04:00Spring Break Extravaganze 2008 Part I: wherein our hero finds himself fishlessAhhhh, blogging from the road. My favorite kind of blogging when you get right down to it. I'm here in beautiful Brevard North Cackalack fresh off of two days on the Davidson River catching many trouts. But the trouts will have to wait. I will first regale you with tales from Cades (sic) Cove, the first of my three Spring Break Extravaganza 2008 destinations. <br /><br />Cades Cove is a large, flat, mostly treeless valley in the northwest quadrant of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Through this large, flat, mostly treeless valley runs Abrams Creek. It should also be indicated at this juncture that Cades Cove supposedly sits over predominantly limestone thus giving Abrams Creek an abnormally high alkalinity and more stable temperatures than other creeks in the southern Appalachians. This is all good for the trouts. What’s bad for the trouts is that there was a serious drought this past summer and the fish that took the hardest hit were rainbows below 2000’. Abrams Creek is mostly rainbows. And Cades Cove is below 2000’. This may be one reason I did not catch a single trout. Other reasons might be the high water and cold temperatures. And my lack of angling prowess should also be considered. <br /> <br />But Cades Cove is pretty. Here are some pictures. I think that's a coyote. Or maybe a fox? Red wolf? Stay tuned for the Davidson River, wherein our hero angled many fat trouts, and the <del>impending backpacking trip through the Jocassee Gorges in search of the elusive South Cackalack steelhead wherein our hero will undoubtedly catch many fine and large fishes</del> wrap-up from inside Sean's keg of Guinness. <br /><br />Click some to enlarge.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp81.jpg" /><br /><a href="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp82b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp82.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp83b.jpg"><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp83.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp84b.jpg"><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp84.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp85.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp86.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp87.jpg" /><br /> <br />Trout sneak peak. <br /><br /><img src="http://www.haightkids.com/matt/sp88.jpg" />Matthew D Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03632800892744296973noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11318523.post-22550234431101295712008-03-08T18:14:00.002-05:002008-03-08T19:39:26.972-05:00the many ways in which life has screwed me over in the past five days or soSo on Tuesday I woke up feeling pretty crappy. Went to the "Health Center" on Wednesday, they counted my white blood cells (which was pretty cool), and they inferred from this that I have the flu. Fair enough. They are doctors. And lab technicians. They put me on Tamiflu, gave me some more codeine syrup (which really helps me sleep...) and sent me on my way. This was particularly bad timing because, as you all know, I had been planning a large fishing/camping/backpacking/drinking/friend seeing extravaganza to the Carolinas (aka the Cackalacks) for some time now. I was supposed to have left yesterday early in the morning. I might have been able to do that even with the flu had some punk ass bitch not broken the rear driver side window of my 1997 Honda Accord. Break the rich people's windows you mother fuckers. That'll show them and their bourgeois ways. Leave the old Hondas out of it. <br /><br />So I had to get that fixed.<br /><br />Then I yelled at the toilet for a while this morning. That was awesome. <br /><br />But now I'm feeling better and I shall have many pictures and tales of trouts to share with you in the coming weeks.<br /><br />Love,<br />Matthew D. Dunn, LPN.Matthew D Dunnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03632800892744296973noreply@blogger.com4