Red Letter Day
Tonight marks the “Opening” of Los Pescadores Coffee & Outfitters on South Padre Island, Texas *. I am extremely proud of my accomplishments on that project up to the day my work was done (*hard, soft, official or other opening?). Only time will tell what will come of it, and it’s something I should allow and encourage you to tell me about, rather than watching from afar. There’s something about walking in a space, like LPCO, and seeing it in three dimensions … that possibly does it more justice than the two dimensional view I have from here. My heart wants to believe that is true. My head? … … …
I have great pride and joy TODAY from the fact that Larry Haines artwork will be in LPCO. Larry is BACK on the Island! It took a little while, but I am so glad I made that connection happen. South Padre Island, the fly fishing community and LPCO will all benefit from Larry Haines presence.
Today marks the turning of the weather. After a five-day RainFest, the weather Gods are relenting, and the North Texas week looks like the biggest spring tease so far. The doldrum rumblings started before the week of rain, and this little break this week is probably nothing more than that – a break. Spring never starts in January in Texas. El Nino has never been more obvious to me, and Mother Nature has been pretty punishing so far.
So lets allow those reservoirs to fill, and anticipate some good dam releases when spring really does arrive, in places like Texoma, Possum Kingdom and Whitney. These are the places where, with a little flush and resupply, the fly fishing reaches epic levels for brief periods … before being stripped of their fish and turning back into rocky dust. Hats off to anyone who can really do consistent guiding on fish at any of these locations. I have yet to meet anyone who could pull that rabbit out of their hat.
Unfortunately, the same phenomenon no longer exists on the Elm Fork of the Trinity River below Lake Ray Roberts. Fish have been blocked from that run for years, and while no one else in the fishing community is working on it, my team of three is.
If you missed it, there is a new project afoot in 2024. I purchased a very inexpensive Northfork Composites rod blank, and the rod making will be gearing up (literally) in the coming weeks. I know zero about this part of the sport, but anticipate another deep dive – into fly rod building. And why not? I don’t mind not getting the exact fly rod I want, but I want to get what I need (thanks Mick).
CHATTER
Sunday Fly Fishing ChatGPT is getting a break tomorrow, so that it will have another week to devour more of your information off the internet, digest it, and make a special delivery out the other end NEXT Sunday. If you have missed those chats? Some of them are downright informational, like the one earlier this week on the fly fishing Double Cicada Buzz this year. Check out the Chat Cicada Story!
Category: Adventure, Airstream Fly Shop, Culture on the Skids, Denton Trinity River Greenbelt Corridor, Fishing Reports, Fly Shops, Life Observed, Los Pescadores Coffee and Outfitters, North Texas, Soggy Bottom Boys, Store Merchandise
