I’m quite wiped out! Training is going well but becoming rather all-consuming. What I really need to do now is swim much more. I might see if they will let me swim at the resort, so that I don’t have to worry all the time about having my toes nibbled off by a snakehead that I’ve previous caught… The Revenge of the Giant Snakehead!

I actually met someone who has a friend who was attacked by a Giant Snakehead while swimming. Which doesn’t exactly give me peace of mind — not with my superior imagination skills. Apparently she was bitten across the chest and it “was quite bad”. I can imagine.

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Back in the South Island of NZ. Two fish. One lost. Another three or four that bit and didn't stick. On the smelt patterns I tied in an earlier piece, on the first proper evening I've had with them. So the box works. Sort of.

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Following on from last week's simple bonefish offering, I thought I'd go with another that while a bit more involved, is still a doddle to put together.

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After nice fishing trip in Sweden, it is back to reality. Last week couple from France came as volunteer to farm. They live in their camper van and help us in some work. They are super helpful as both of them are quite handy. They have been doing things at farm when I have been "working outside".
 
Working outside in this context means that I have been away from farm. We are renewing round up fence for reindeer work few kilometres from here. In that fence we will separate meat reindeer from breeding ones etc. In May we unbuilt old one and three weeks ago we started to built new.

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So this is my 100th FP. Didn’t think I would have so much to say when Paul asked me if I could write some FPs back then. So what could be more fitting than attribute this FP to the thing that I would say started it. I have told this story before but new parts of the story has emerged. So to the HT7, the origo of my fly casting career!

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Last Sunday, my daughter, son-in-law and I dropped down to the dock behind grandpa’s house on Block Island’s Great Salt Pond. The kids were battening down the hatches and checking the moorings before the n’or easter which is just now beginning to hammer the East Cost. They used a block and tackle rig to slide the day-sailer onto its “dry dock” on the beach. Their sloop and summertime home, Apple Butter, remained moored one hundred yards off shore, forlornly, stripped of its sails and buttoned up until they motor it over to the mainland after the storm. The mooring was riding low and Joel voiced his intention to dive-down and un-kink its anchor chain in the morning Monday. Better him than me. He’s a contractor/carpenter and, having spent many formative years on Block Island, is a real waterman. Also his building skills, vision, and energy impress me to no end. Check out the dome in the FP cover pic. While the kids worked, I indulged myself walking the half-moon beach looking for cruising stripers. I also walked a few neighboring docks covering visible channel edges a few yards off shore. I cast around the clock. The wind was kicking up as the weather began to move in and I got to practice and test my accuracy and distance. No fish showed interest but I like my chances chasing reds in Louisiana later next week. 

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