Every Friday my wife, my two kids and I drive to a neighboring county to pick up produce from a local farmer. As part of that trip we take the kids to a swimming local swimming hole that is fed by a spring. Actually the stream is called Buffalo Springs. I'm not sure where the Buffalo comes into the picture, but there is a spring involved. The local trout hatchery is fed by the springs. Usually the kids play and splash around underneath a pipe used to fill water barrels. Some of the locals use the water for drinking, the farmer I buy from being one of them. Well, this week someone else beat us to it. Sure, there was enough room there for my kids to play, but two men in their mid-forties, no shirts, suffering from dunlap disease (their bellies have dun lapped over their belts for those not familiar with the disorder, aka "beer belly"), and a case of beer cooling in the water. Now, here comes the hard part, how do you explain this to a three and a five year old who has their heart set on playing in the water? Of course there was some sniffling and whimpering going on, some of it on my part, I wanted to go fishing. But, what can you do? We left.
On Saturday I had some work to do at our church in the morning and then in the afternoon I took care of a few chores at home. Then I stumbled across a question from The Trout Underground, "what are your plans for the weekend?" I had been thinking abou
t heading to the Tennessee River, in downtown Knoxville, to do a little carp fishing. But, it has been so hot lately, that I really just wanted to stay home in the A/C. So I opted to work on the newest leg of this trip called fly fishing, my bamboo fly rod. When I started out to build this rod my thoughts were that I could get a high quality rod cheaply. Well, cheaply left a long time ago, and the only one left now is his brother, high quality.
On Sunday we were at Church all day. Church is an important part of the life of our family and Sunday is fully dedicated to the Lord and His work. We are currently helping with a new Church in a small rural community to the north of us on the Kentucky border.
Not what I would call an exciting weekend but more of a laid back, kick your shoes off, and sit a spell type of weekend. You know a man needs one of those every now and then.
Matthew
5 comments:
It's bad when even the local swimming hole is too crowded...
If you don't mind me asking, where did you get your planing forms for your rod? Did you build them yourself or purchase them? I'm thinking of starting on bamboo rods in the next year or two, and I'm looking into sources. I know a few of the big ones, but I was wondering if someone made them up there in Tennessee. Take care,
hawgdaddy
Well, it wasn't that it was too crowded, that the crowd I wanted to expose my three and five year old to.
And the planing form I made my self. If you didn't notice, it is made out of wood, and yes, I made it. I followed the instructions on this web page,www.thomaspenrose.com/form01.htm
Also, a local maker told me about two other sources, www.coloradobootstrap.com and www.aldercreekpublishing.com
Alder Creek publishing produces a news letter called "The Planing Form." The local maker told me that if you email the folks at Alder Creek that they could help you find a planing form. I just couldn't see sinking three to four hundred into a form for my first rod. Also I am wood working, for fun and money, so I had the tools available to make my own. I will say it took a lot of time. One site says as much as 50 hours to make one form. I would say they are pretty close.
On my trips to Tennessee, I've stayed a couple miles from the river and never fished for carp. Next time out, I may hit you up for a carp spot or two...
I know a few spots in the area. The one on the Tennessee is pretty well known. I haven't been there yet but folks set over the water at a restaurant and feed the Carp bread. The hardest part is finding a place to park, and it gets worse when foot ball season comes around.
Thanks for the info. I'll probably buy my forms. For one thing, my woodworking skills are pathetic. For another, money seems to slip through my fingers before I even get the feel of it, so why stop now? I had looked at Colorado Bootstrap. They seem to be fairly inexpensive as far as such things go. Take care and good luck with the rod,
hawgdaddy
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