Archive for October, 2007

So my “wee man” is off to Edmonton for a couple of weeks, and I’m going to miss him. A Lot. Today, we decided to spend some time together and one of the things we’re doing is tying up some Beadhead Bloodworms.  David decided he wanted to look at a fly tying book, and we got out “Stillwater Solutions Recipes” by Phil Rowley and Brian Chan.

I doubt the public education teachers would be using this as a text or “early reader” book – but – it works.

“Dad, what’s this word?”

“Well, I know you could sound it out.”

“Wa… wa-ter…  b-.  Water bo…  How does the rest of it go, Dad?”

“Well, what do we say when we see two vowels together?”

“When two vowels go a-walking, the first one does the talking!”

“You got it, David!  So try again.”

“Wa-water bo-boat – boatman.  Water Boatman, Dad!  This fly is called a Water Boatman!  That’s a funny name for a fly.”

So we look at the Water Boatman patterns. Turn some pages and come to “Leeches.”  David has no problem sounding that one out.  Scuds of course was easy too.

Ah, good job at at least trying to sound out “chironomids,” David!  That was a tough one.

So there you go.  Home schooled kids can learn about entymology while learning how to read at the same time.

Not bad for a kid that just turned five a couple of months ago.

Anyone that can be in the Guelph area on Saturday, November 3rd, 2007 might want to consider heading over to The First Cast fly shop. Sylvia D’Amelio will be a guest fly tyer at the shop that day.

I’ve not seen Sylvia tie flies before – but I have seen her fly fish. I’ve also had the pleasure of speaking with her a few different occasions and she’s a wonderful fly angler to speak with.  She’s got credentials as well, working as a fish biologist with Trout Unlimited.

And yes – she is also a very attractive woman fly angler too. But don’t get your hopes up – last I heard she is engaged.

Sylvia is front row, on the right.

Great interview with casting champion Steve Rajeff here.  Steve talks about getting started in fly fishing and tournament casting when he was a kid and then continues on to his own ideas and thoughts on fly rod and line selection.

You’ll have the option of choosing a Windows or Quicktime format.  I found the Windows format very slow in downloading.  The Quicktime file was much better.

HT: Trout Underground.