Most wonder "old man, why no content?" It's called a dry spell kids, it's kind of like a batting slump. What do you do when you hit a slump; change the mojo. In my case this involved shaving that awful moustache, a new hat, and ceremoniously sacrificing the duck in the parking lot of the boat ramp before work (he'd started looking at me real funny any way). Pictured in this spread is David from the garden state. This guy is a multi talented athlete who's skill set includes but is not limited to wrestling, playing a mean second base, and chucking tight loops at the green fish. Pretty cool way to christen the new ride if you ask me.

But you know, it's more than just a dry spell Kevin; it's a transitional phase. Sadly, what this recent hiatus has made me realize is that it's time to take a step back. So it's with a heavy heart that I tell you this will be my final post of the 2010 campaign. A wise man once wrote me a letter that said never to "stand by and allow it to drag on beyond the point of vibrancy and health", and I think that's where we are now. Keep in mind this is not the end. But in order for the art to continue to be meaningful and beautiful one must periodically reinvent it. I'm most sorry to those who depend on this content machine for your life force (guess you're gonna have to get some energy crystals or whatever), but rest assured that no one loves the blog-spot more than I do, and when the time is right, it will return.

So I'll leave you with this...An old friend of mine from a cabin in the woods used to ask me (and as is customary, I'm paraphrasing here) "hey, old man, when is it over? When are you gonna straighten up and fly right, quit the life, get a real job and stop acting like such a loon?" Although the one word antiphon is generally not my forte (a professor of mine once even called me 'wordy'), the answer to that is simple. Never.



"So many Roads to ease my soul"

W

FTV report for 9/9/10

This bonito was released for some good derby karma.

EARL ?

Dave from Dark Woods writes "hey old man, what's the Fishing the Vineyard kids modus operandi in the face of impending doom courtesy of the first hurricane to pummel the rock in like 20 years?" While my first instinct is to say "none of your goddamn business, now get back in that bunker and wait for a national guardsmen to tell you what to do", in the spirit of full disclosure, I'll show you...




Before the blow we spend a couple of days with a guy from Connecticut trying to dispel the myth that bananas are bad luck in a boat. Sadly for us, and despite our strongest efforts, that theory still seems to hold a great deal of verisimilitude. Robert-Douglas from Ocean Heights usually just brings a pineapple or some huckleberries when he covets a fruit fix while afloat.


The first step of hurricane preparation is to pull everything from the skiff into the basement. In the event that a Wizard of Oz type scenario were to play out I'd still need my fishing poles and such.


Mister from Pensyl-Hio decided to spend the hours before Earl in the lapstrake skiff with Karl from OB teaching the greenfish one last lesson in the event that the storm were to swallow him up and they could never play again.


A stroll down to the Village for some window shopping is always a good time killer.



Before the streets are shut down to non-emergency vehicles it's fun to take a ride and contemplate the heard mentality and the manifestations of mass hysteria.


What, you thought I was gonna let the hoarders get it all?


As it turns out you can actually measure approximate wind speed with this sucka; kind of like a flag at a ballpark. We had some decent gusts on the lead edge of the storm, but nothing that would make it stand at attention for any prolonged period of time.


I've always been terrible at shopping under pressure. They said get canned goods and the essential non-perishables. This is what I came up with.


Once the hatches are battened down and all supplies have been inventoried/re inventoried it's time for a libation.


Eventually, all that's left to do is don the riot gear and guard the expensive shit from looters.






I think we'll always remember Earl as the most prepared we ever were for a 3 hour rainstorm that came in the middle of the night when we were all asleep anyway. Can we go fishing again now?

WBC

FTV offshore report 9/1/10

Took advantage of the pre storm calm and made a run south of the island in search of gold on fly. Rick landed 3 around this size and we lost track of the number of peanuts landed.

So now we are just waiting for Earl!!