The First of Many

11lb Pig Bowzilla w/ My Son Mason

I guess I should introduce myself to you guys, such we all will become best friends, and dance into the sunset together, ya know? First, my name is Shane, and as my little thingy on the side of the blog says, I am 29. I have two wonderful children (one is a demon I swear, but not <----- one).  I am currently in college, too become an elementary teacher. I have three jobs, one is a position as a seasonal fly casting instructor with L.L. Bean, but I am off there till the Spring. Also, I am a property adjuster and a prek teacher. Further, I am on the board of directors for the Western Pocono TU, president of the teacher association at the college, on the leadership committee for the college, and a bunch of other crapola that makes me look special. I am really not though, because I have only been fly fishing for a year and a half, and that's all you guys really care about (my wife hates me, because of all of this though). It is why you are reading my junk. However, I pick things up pretty quick and have had some great tutorage. Mainly from my buddy Ed.
    Ed is my sensei and the guy who has not only taught me how to fly fish, but how to lash feathers to a hook. I have met most of my fishing  buddies on PA Fly Fish. I highly recommend it as a place to check out if you want to learn a thing or two, or to meet some new people to fly fish with.

Sensei Ed

    I am going to answer the one question I know you all are wondering. Shane, why are you going to take on the good fight of starting a bog? Well, it is a great question guys. I never was a big follower of blogs, and really had no interest in starting one. Still, I began reading two blogs that are friends of mine. The first one is Dub The Thorax, and the other is LV Limestoner. Both are fantastic reads. One is written by Mike aka Dub. I fished with him a couple times and he posted about me in his greatness. Who does not love reading about themselves on the internet? The other is Gary aka Gfen. He is a crabby mother f'r, but is very funny. I have met both of them through PA Fly Fish. See what I said about meeting people on there? Anyways, I started reading their awesome sauce and started picking up the blogs that they like. Through those people I read others and came to the conclusion that there is some real crap out there. I won't name the blog, but it made me realize, "hey, this mentally challenged individual is making a couple bucks and getting some free stuff off of their schnit, why can't I? So, here I am writing to you guys while I lay on my couch, and my two rugrats are watching Dino Dan.

Perfect water

    Now, I have told you about myself and I figure I should provide you with my first fishing story for the beginning of my blog life.  Yesterday (Thanksgiving) Ed called me to see if I wanted to go fishing the next day (today) at the Little Lehigh. Even though I am not a big fan of the LL I still wanted to fish. Additionally, it was supposed to be a beautiful day and it was. I texted Dub to see if he wanted to join us, but he was afraid the water would not be in ideal fishing conditions, such we had a ton of rain two days ago.  HE WAS WRONG. He did tell me that if I decided to go, I should toss rubber legged nymphs and micro eggs. Both things I did not have in my box. Another thing you need to know about me, is that I am a lazy tyer. Not that my flies do not look good, but it takes some real motivation for me to sit down and tie.Usually, that motivation involves fishing the next day and not having what I think is going to work. Trusting Dubs tips, I sat down at the vise and tied some rubber legged pheasant tales and pink micro eggs. Dub's Micro Egg Video <------ Click here. I will post some pictures of the rubber legged PT later.

Yea, no Rod!!

Dave, The New Shop Owner

        Ed and I decided to meet at the Heritage section, because if the fishing was no good we could at least sit in the Heritage Fly Shop and tell fish stories with the rest of the old guys in there. I arrived before Ed, so I went into the shop to pick up some lead sinkers and check out the inventory. The shop itself is a landmark and if you have never been in there, you need to check it out. Especially, since Rod retired. Most of the people that have been in there when Rod was the owner, will tell you he was a grumpy old troll. Rod gave me casting lessons when I was 12 or 13 (that was the last time I held a fly rod till two summers ago), and even though he was a good teacher, he was never nice to me whenever I stopped in. The inventory in the shop is sparse, but somehow I was able to find some Beneechi 12/0 olive thread that I have been looking for, to tie some of Kevin Compton's Tungston Torpedo's. Happy with the score and with Ed still not having arrived. I decided to get suited up and start bloodying some lips. It did not take me long to find the fish. Thirty minutes in, I landed two bows and two pop off before I could bring them to net. Guess what patterns they chose? Yep, micro egg and the rubber legged PT.

9 inch Bow Chewing on The Rubber Legged PT

Guess Dub knew what he was talking about.

Look at that Stripe!

       As quickly as the fun started, it just as fast shut down. Dub texted me wondering how everything was going, and after I let him know it was great, I did not have another nibble the rest of the afternoon. Bastard jinxed me! Least that's what I will blame it on. After the text, I walked back to the shop to see if Ed had arrived. There he was was blabbing away. I know how he can be and decided to go back fishing, because  it would be awhile.
 As I walked up the path, I was stopped by a gentleman I met at the PAFF Jam, KeithS on the forum. We talked for a little, exchanged some flies. and wished each other luck. Obviously, I did not receive any luck with the skunking I took the rest of the day

KeithS Tying on Some Flies  

   When I came back to the shop to find Ed, to say good bye, there he was sitting in the shop. He never left. The day was over, but not without a stop at Cali Burrito, damn that place is good.


I will finish off my first post with some of the pictures from the day.

The Stretch

Behind The Shop

Pinky

Pinky's Water

No Bait Chuckers Here

I Had The Big Sur

Over a LB of Goodness