Saturday coffee ad catching up thread

[5thDragoons]

Still in the midst of the 'blessed event" = granddaughter's HS graduation. For some reason, the party was yesterday - actual grad ceremony today. Lunch was a potato bar. Grab a spud & load it up with pulled pork, shredded cheese, sour cream and other stuff. Not too bad! I did notice her HS pals were a bit subdued - maybe the enormity of starting life was beginning to soak in. Or maybe they were in recovery mode from the pre-party party.

For now, I'm off to Co-op for a few supplies - then edit a ton of photos I took at the party. Also some WW2 photos taken by father in law while in the 5th Armored Div. Wifey's sister couldn't recall seeing them before, and they are well & truly unpublished. Not the best photography, but some neat subjects like a Me-262 taken at a just overrun air field, a V-2 rocket and a French tank in German service.

He was a good old boy, and I respected him deeply. How he wound up with mother in law (who was Satan's sister) remains a mystery. SW

[Doc Sharptail]

On 2nd cup of home-made.
just cracked 38F a few minutes ago, and it's already May 16. Slow start to spring. Did see 75F on Wed., so the real thing can't be that far off.
Got hit with a dust storm Thur. and Fri. that originated in Neb./Wyo. It rained Thur. too, and the car is smeared with black and red muck. Probably coal and sandstone.
Did okay with pike at Hazel Cr. yesterday~~ quite a day actually. Likely have some pix and story on that later.

Latest M.I.L. sort of liked me, and wasn't a bad old sort.

-D.S.

[lyman]

gunshow weekend, down in SW VA (Wytheville) for a small show

[Doc Sharptail]

There's Hazel creek on Friday from the old Hwy. 15 bridge, which I mostly fished from. Greening is just starting up here, and doesn't really show up in this frame. Another dust storm moving in from the west here, at sunset.



Been a while since I caught anything this big. Filleting knife in photo is 18" overall, including the handle. That would make the fish just a bit over 40".



5/8 oz. Williams Wabler. That big jack bit through my line after striking that lure.

I caught him twice again on a dulled hook Len Thompson spoon, and he spit the hook both times.

4th time was the charm with a cheap little silver backed spoon from wally. At least the brand new hook on it was sharp enough to penetrate the jaw. I had to use the net to get him landed- didn't want to take any further chances. Got my lure back too. It was well lodged in the gill rakers, and wasn't going anywhere.



Got it home, and opened up for cleaning, and found this- a 2 lb pike in it's stomach. Apex predator in the extreme. I know, and have seen them eat each other, but that 2 pounder must have been quite a mouth-full to get swallowed like that.



And here's the reasoning, and end result to most of it. Nice big thick, almost boneless fillets breaded up nice. There was a 3 lb pike I brought home with it. Enough fish there to feed 5 hungry people that haven't had any fish in quite some time.

-D.S.

[Allen]

Looks good, before AND after.

[lyman]

did you fillet that 2 lb one as well?

[Doc Sharptail]

did you fillet that 2 lb one as well?

Uggh! No, of course not. I didn't want to damage the stomach wall any further~ which can get pretty odorifous.
Maybe savages here, certainly no barbarians.

-D.S.