All posts by MikeB

Fish Report, Meetings, Meetings 2016

April HFF Meeting

The next HFF meeting will be April 19, 2016 and will be at The Colorado Steakhouse, Dinner at 6:00 and the program at 7:00.

 Ahhh…Spring in Indiana. Things you might need for spring in Indiana, Tee shirts, it might be 75, or snow shovel for the driveway, or chain saw for the wind downed tree in your driveway, the number for a good roofer thanks to the straight line winds and maybe, just maybe a fly rod on occasion, I could go on but you get the picture. And, by the way, I hope you are not trying to grow peaches or have a vineyard, there is a freeze watch tonight!

However, one spring event that comes without hassle and happens every year regardless of rain or snow…the annual HFF AUCTION! I have talked with Kernal Kevin and he assures me he has been in training, first 5 minutes, now 10, now 20, can he make 30? We need you to bring lots of really good stuff for Kevin to sell. Kevin will do his part; our part is to bring some really cool stuff for the auction. This is a wonderful opportunity to shed some of the “extra” rods and reels, flies, materials and such. The better stuff you bring, the more fun we will have and the harder Kevin will have to work. And oh yes, bring a few bucks. Funds raised help pay for the Christmas Party, the Picnic and any donations the club makes to fishing and conservation related activities.

As if the auction were not enough fun, Mike Donovan will tie a neat little streamer for fishing brush piles.

The May meeting will be the club picnic on May 14. More information on this will come soon.

See you all on April 19th at the Colorado Steakhouse for another fun fill evening.

Tim

FISH REPORT: Monroe Lake is still high, 5.3 foot at the moment, water temperatures hovering in the mid 50’s. Rumors are heard of every species being caught but apparently none have been photographed, so I have to assume they all have been small. RogerD has given up and headed to NC for some dandy trout and the report is he is doing well. Club members can see his fish reports in the Members only forums. Higher temperatures are in the forecast so fishing will get much better soon. Spring is a wonderful time on the fly, especially for one pound bluegills!

 

Fish Report, General Information, Meetings 2016

Indiana Fishing License Click, Click, Click, Print

Phew! I just got my fishing license today! I almost forgot, click, sign-in, click, pay, click, print. Ok now I am legal. It’s no big deal to get your fishing license in hand almost instantly. Gee the Internet sure is grand!

I remember in the old days, when I was kid, buying a fishing license was an annual event for those that needed them. Sometime after Christmas I would tag along with Grandad to the Western Auto store so he could get his fishing license. Grandad and the guy behind the counter, George, would talk about all the great fish they caught  last year.  As the fish stories continued and we were standing nearly knee deep in scales and fish guts out would come the old wooden King Edward Cigar box from under the counter. It contained all the Indiana hunting, fishing and trapping license booklets, an ink pen, and some money. George would fill out the license with Grandad’s details and tear it from the booklet.  This year the licenses were printed on green paper. I assumed they changed the color of the license paper each year to confuse us but surely they had a good reason for doing it. The good reasoning must have gotten lost on the internet somewhere. I guess I could have printed mine on colored paper but then everyone would be confused.

Indiana Trout Stamp

I would listen intently as Grandad would read aloud what was written on the license front and back to be sure it was all correct and then he would say, “Better add a trout stamp to the back here George, just in case.” George would then get an official trout stamp from the old cigar box and lick it, then stick it on the back of Grandad’s license, “That’ll be two dollars more, sign across the front of the stamp please” George would say. Grandad would sign the front of the license and the stamp on the back. Cash money was all that was accepted for licenses and Grandad handed George the correct amount in one dollar bills.  The cash went in the cigar box with the license booklets and ink pen and it was stored back under the counter. The annual ritual of getting fishing license was done for another year and George waved as we exited the store.

Ah the memories that come back as the annual ritual of buying fishing licenses is renewed again, somehow it’s just not as much fun as it once was. I miss Grandad, the Western Auto,  cigar boxes, and heck I even miss the cigar smell on Old George.

So now I am looking at my new Indiana Hunting and Fishing License and I am reading it out loud, ” 2016 Res Hunt, 2016 Trout/Salmon Stamp, Senior Fish For-Life”. Wait a minute that can’t be, how did they know I was a Senior. Sure enough there it was printed on cheap white printer paper, Senior Fish For-Life. I gasped for air a little but then it dawned on me, I never have to buy Indiana Fishing License ever again. Great! No more click,click,click, print.  Sign and date it, and I fish for LIFE.  I continue to read the license and I realize, there’s no trout stamp, I printed it out and right there in black and white it says 2016 Trout/Salmon Stamp but there’s no stamp. Where did the stamp go and if there is no stamp, why does it say stamp? I’m confused, did the stamp get lost in the internet too? As I place the folded piece of white paper in my wallet I think how sad this annual ritual has become, but at least I am legal now, for LIFE. Oh and isn’t the internet grand!

Don’t forget your 2016 Indiana Fishing License, the ones you have now expired yesterday. Go to the INDNR website to purchase yours today click, click, click, print and be sure to include the Trout/Salmon Stamp, just in case.

Fish Report: Fly Fishing around Lake Monroe is a little slow right now due to high water. Right now the Lake is about 6ft high, water temperatures are in the low to mid 50’s . Fish are active in small ponds and even the creeks now. Wipers are slow to show this year, no reports of any caught on flies yet. Crappies remain the best bet on Monroe for fly casting.

April HFF Meeting: The April Hff Meeting will be on April 19th at Bobby’s Colorado Steakhouse and will feature Kernal Kevin and the Annual HFF Auction of Stuff. Bring stuff, bring money, as Tim would say. Supper at 6PM and Meeting at 7PM.