2 weeks to Long Key, I love it when a plan comes together.

April 10 is getting within my sights. Nailed an 8 wt on E-bay (finally), got 250 yds of 20# backing and a bonefish line coming my way. Have my flats booties and a gear bag that will hold my rods and all my salt water gear. Next weekend I’ll start packing and see what last minute stuff I need to run to Bass Pro to get. Whatever I forget, I’ll pick up at the one in Islamorada.  Still need to find some more camping furniture but between my mother’s house and my sister’s I’ll be able to beg and borrow what I need. Got a guide lined up for Thursday to make sure I don’t leave the keys without hooking up something to remember. Can’t wait to get up at the crack of dawn, walk into the water and greet the sun and bonefish as the tide comes in. Too bad Rob can’t make it (still hope he does since I owe it to him to get me hooked into this adventure.) I still feel I don’t have enough flies, even though I have tied enough to outfit a small fly shop somewhere. Maybe I’ll tie some clousers with bead eyes for a slow sink approach. Maybe I’ll do some merkin crabs just in case the good Lord wants to send a Permit my way. Right now, the anticipation is just killing me. Just have to make it through to weeks of work and then I’m out of here. Michael (son-in-law) comes in Wednesday so I have to go back to the mainland to pick him up. So if it is going to rain, let it happen Wednesday morning.

Here in Memphis the weather continues to be like the stock market, unpredictable. Yesterday we had sun and high 60’s, today we have rainy, cloudy and low 50’s. At least we are seeing enough of the sun to know that spring is coming. My cherry tree and the Japanese magnolia across the street are in full bloom, what a great and inspiring sight.

Next week I get with my fly fishing buddies to plan some smallmouth hunting and a kayak outing to a local lake for some largemouth I love spring.

Keep your lines tight.....

Chasing an 8 wt rod and other spring rites before Long Key adventure.

Need one more 8wt for the trip so I do what all other sane (or insane?) fly fishers do - try to chase one on E-bay, which is what everyone else is also doing in preparation for salt water spring rites.  It is frustrating as hell  thinking I have the rod to see it get away by someone using some kind of snipe program.  Whoever invented those should get as punishment and endless number of people cutting in from of him (or her) in the line to the pearly gates so everytime he/she she thinks is getting in, someone else gets it.  So to vent my frustration, and also since it is raining in Memphis and can't do yard work, I decided to tie some more bonefish flies I picked up from the latest FFSW magazine.  Then switched to tying some leech looking flies in preparation for spring smallies that know it is time to get frisky.  I'll post my files on my facebook page once I figure how to do the macro thing with my camera.  Did manage also to switch reservations and got a full 6 day campsite so we would not have to move on Friday and loose time on the salt.  Rob, if you are out there, let me know if you still plan to make it to Long Key in April.  Just hope for good weather (no rain) and hungry bones on the flats. Oh yeah, now I have a tent and 2 sleeping bags in Miami, things are looking up.  Still need the hot plate for Cuban cofee but I figure Wal Mart will help with that one.