Television: I didn’t see MASH on any channel for like four months. Just saw it on there today for the first time lately. A lot of the time: Everything they have on, I’ve already seen and I don’t want to watch it again. Or, there’s stuff there’s no way I’m ever going to watch it. Trying to watch TV: Child abduction notices. They’re never for right around here. Why do I have to miss my program because a kid is missing 200 miles from here? “Required weekly tests” probably even more responsible for missing important parts of a program. Oh well.
It’s roll not role. You’re, not your. It’s, not its. Too, not to. It’s in, not inn. It’s than, not then. If you use an abbreviation it should be one that people know. Your emails go to my spam filter. Get with it, it’s 2020. Spam emails: I don’t get it, why bother? OK, venting over. Wait, one more: You spelled your name wrong Jeramey. My friend Ashli liked that one.
OK, venting is not over. The Mayor of St Pete is defunding the police. Time for a new mayor. If anything, you add to the police, you don’t take away from them. They do the same thing in Clearwater; I will be buying more firearms to keep in more parts of the house. Loaded. I enclosed the place good with the fencing and the stuff I have growing on the fencing. But, if criminals don’t have police to address them: I’ll do it if they wander into my realm.
Fishing, as reported the last time, silver trout’s return was big news. We have enjoyed that a bunch of times now. AFTER catching speckled trout. That bite has remained solid. Their size: Could be better but with that species closed to harvest, we should see advances in the size of the trout. Redfish, also closed, need to remain closed indefinitely. We haven’t had good redfish opportunities in 7 years. The pictures keep popping up: What it was like back then. Can we get it back? Silver trout are mentioned a second time below.
The speckled trout have been good. A big one caught every time out. A lot of “good sized ones.” Trout is the “action” if you are a guide. With them closed to harvest, they keep getting bigger.
Another one I started:
“We impact our environment. Species closures are having some positive effects. But what about where we fall short. Sand projects are failures in so many ways. They ruined areas with these projects, some county, some Governor Scott. Restoration: Other areas of Florida have sand fleas. Couldn’t it become a program to restock sand fleas in sand project areas by importing them from other areas? It would help the fisheries. Who needs to get started on this. I have talked about it and the people are with the idea. “
Prepared to be ignored again. Good ideas that go nowhere.
Tying flies and teasers. Almost insane. With time off, I tie. Nearly out of hooks again, do I order more or do I just sit on what I’ve got? Honestly, I’ll probably reorder because I’ve gotta have something to do. I’ve had email caught up for months. I’ve had house projects completed. Tying fills some time. Now, the decision: Buy more hooks? Buy more pink fiber? Probably, I’ll get more hooks and more flash fiber and pink fiber and just keep tying. I honestly believe, eventually all this stuff will sell. I called Doc, told him I’d match his teaser cost. He doesn’t want to cut his guy out. Which, I admire. At some point: I retire from tying. Honestly, right now, I may never sell all of these teasers. Will I get buyers for the flies? They’re catching fish. I have 200 flies versus 22,000 teasers. I told my nephew John what to do with them if I die. No small chunk of change, if a teaser sells at $1 each, that’s $22,000. But, to sell in bulk, figure half of that. $11.,000 isn’t bad. That would buy him and his sisters some dinners.
Robo calls continue regularly. I got two early today and the phone fell silent again. I’ve been blocking them. Wasn’t a problem for over 20 years. I hate them. I ask the question all the time: Why??
Ryan and Stacy in town, work on the house. A thousand pounds of shell put down in the front yard. Cutting out some mowing for the new lawn crew. It also makes things look nicer. Would have gotten more done if Ryan came alone but we got plenty accomplished. They have had a rough week. Not divulging details but they needed this trip.
My mother: Still plugging along. I called her yesterday and she had to go because dinner was arriving. I think dinner arriving is more about having someone in her room than it is having something to eat. Me: I dine alone.
After all these years, I finally got edited by Facebook. Absolutely amazing. I posted a picture saying there was a spike in coronavirus cases. But if there was more IQ testing there would also be a spike of morons. That’s it. Why does that get taken down?? Another person told a joke. About looters. It was removed because it was: “offensive and may incite violence”. No question: Facebook’s censorship is a joke. I took two years off. If I leave again, it’s probably permanent. I don’t need it. It’s too bad: Their original format and concept was good. But like all things in life: That’s gone.
The next project at the house (after pouring a little more shell along all the fences) the concrete between the sidewalk and the street. That will be a nice improvement here. Taking my time, the longer I wait, the better I get it dug out. The stupidity of Neil: Just added a splitter at the hose turn on so that there is one hose going out front and one out back. Why didn’t I do that two years ago?
The great virus scare of 2020. I have concluded that I am simply better at staying away from people than the average guy. Big store purchases: I don’t need to go into a store for several months. I have minimized my chances of being at risk. For that reason, the mask thing means less to me. I don’t have the virus and I’m never around anyone so the mask isn’t a necessity. Wearing a mask isn’t bad. Better to wear one if you are possibly around it than to not have one on. I just don’t see telling certain people they should be wearing one.
Umpire news: Jason Moore died. He was in my era. I didn’t know him that well. We were connected on Facebook. He was my age, and I think we got in the same year. Other guys that were closer to him, more affected. Then, Rick Reed is on the fail. Former major leaguer, the Hirschbecks have traveled to be with him in his decline. “Hospice” means the end is near. I was only around Rick one time, early in my career. He took the time to talk to me and give me some advice (and encouragement). I wish I ran into him more during my years but I did not.
Loss: My ex-girlfriend Rachael. She went to her mother’s house. She found her mother deceased. I got along with her mother (but had my battles with her too). After me, Rachael went on to a teaching career and then met this guy that she married. A really good match, they are happy. Her mother, married to a guy that was running for mayor. They must have parted ways because he hasn’t been mentioned. Anyway, the casino will suffer. Her mother was there ALL the time.
More Fishing news: Guys posting photos of dead trout caught in Tampa Bay. Well, they’re closed. You are a poacher. Sickening. Your buddy: His picture of a dead fish. It’s not long enough. You are a poacher. Why keep that fish anyway? The rules are for our future. Go by the rules. I do. It is why I never get checked. I believe the rules are good. If we want to have the best fishery in the future: Go by the rules! Pictures of people keeping them, very disappointing. Go by the rules. All trout must be released. They will be the first species to reopen. Be part of the future of Florida and solutions: Support the rules.
Back to fishing again. Four trips in a week. Three people, two people twice and one solo. Donald is after a tagged redfish. Finding a redfish at all is a challenge. But, we will give it a good effort. One trip is Beth and Carol Ann. They should do well. Another two person trip might turn into three. Bingo Bob Bruner. I’ve taken him fishing since I started guiding. Fishing through June and to start July, way above average for the dead of summer. We had only one bad trip during the span with summer like conditions and then the action bounced right back. Big trout were regular catches. When the trout bite died late morning we had outstanding action with silver trout. On the fly, trout were great. One man caught a 24 inch trout on one of my flies. The same guy caught 50 silver trout to end the day. For action, trout have been it. Pompano remain a mystery. After two awesome years,, last year and this year are truly “off.” That could change at any time. The fly that I gave the guy, heavy in gold, some white and a weighted head. That fly, originally made for pompano is catching everything. He also caught a mackerel, a bluefish and a seabass. One of the best fly fishing outings I have ever seen. In my opinion, the more it rains the better the fishing. We should be into the rainy season for two full months starting now.
You are a “guide.” Learn how to hold the fish. Littering the internet with picture of fish handled BADLY. Unncessary: Do it right and have more of the fish survive the encounter. I see it daily. It’s disappointing. Too many people too new to fishing, “guiding.”
The silver trout: Copious amounts of fish spread made. And, that will continue.
What will August bring? Some years, August is tough. Some years August is really good. Again: How much rain will be falling? The more rain, the better the fishing.
The things out on the roads, I still marvel at how much trash people throw out their windows. It ends up in my front yard. At the kayak launch, as fast as I pick it up, it’s littered again. I really don’t understand what is so hard about taking it home and throwing it away when you get there. The local guys: Still waiting for two of the guys who souped up their cars to move. Unnecessary, vile noise. I still shake my head at the people who blow their horn at someone who is just making a left hand turn. Honestly, what’s your hurry? It’s like mental illness if you ask me. Angry people. It would be better if they stay off the road. My time battling people is over. I’ll leave it to someone else. But if one of them wants to come after me, I’ll just shoot them.
So, I watered the bushes this morning. 20 minutes later: It poured. I mean, hardest rain in months. So, the plants got double water today. A rainy pattern predicted, hopefully the hose stays off for several months. Some storm will come in where it will rain for four days. All day. It’s July. It’s coming.
After decades of existence, change the name of the Cleveland Indians. The Washington Redskins. Go American. Rename the Redskins the Washington Offended and make their mascot a Crybaby. Why is this all happening now. Why not 40 years ago? 20 years ago? The rioting and looting were amusing enough. But, tearing down statues and renaming sports teams, why at all and why not in the past? To me, it is a sign that we are not working on the right things in this country. Certainly, there are better ways to spend your time.
Book 5 final revisions. This one will publish when life changes. An American: The Neil Taylor Story. I got input. Good input. In my opinion, finalizes things. It’s ready. But, it doesn’t get seen until life changes.
The Blog has been fun for me. Just a way to “type away” and talk about anything. I didn’t think it would last. I thought people would ignore it. Well, some people do, but there is a contingency that open my emails fast because they want to read this. So, I try to make it interesting. In this one, I’m struggling. In my opinion, there just isn’t anything interesting going on. A record number of virus cases? Not interesting to me. Generally, what’s going on: Not much interesting, but maybe, before this one publishes, material will present itself? Really, don’t only 50% of people need to wear a mask? Think about it.
The virus, will it go away and things go back to the way they used to be? Or is it here forever? I understand the precautions. And I support them. I don’t understand it all. But, the more precaution the better. Finally having a case of it that hit closer to me, it makes more sense. Number one lesson: Don’t go to Disney. Number two lesson, stay away from people in general. Number three lesson, if you are going to be around people, spray them with bleach or something.
Published about 30 articles by Terry Tomalin, Frank Sargeant and Mel Berman on Capmel.com. It is funny: I could have published 100 articles by these guys but there are so many of these articles that are about other times of the year, I’ll publish these and then I’ll publish those when it is a different time of the year. Totally just builds a HUGE site. Frank is still out there and doing it. Terry and Mel are gone. I’m still out there and doing it. It took the last ten years to pull it off, but I am published more than any of them. Not bragging, just telling it like it is. Those guys all put up a total. I’ve been at it strong all this time and with my four reports a month and the 1000 feature articles, I’m up on them. But not by much.
In the next edition: I will teach you how to reason with teenagers.
- The Neil Blog… - July 26, 2023
- The Catfish - July 26, 2023
- update - July 22, 2023
