Recent content by Jim in Anacortes

Humbly trying not to derail the thread,,,are these "slime eels" in the PNW ever used as bait?

This thread compelled me to shop for an eel skin wallet on Amazon. I like the $70 one. The feel of an eel's hide..it is unique.

In California they have Moray Eels. They used to be quite common, but I believe they were over harvested (commercially). They never bit me but my buddy got ten stitches once while diving with yellow gloves. Probably the eel thought his finger was Urchin roe. They also fish for Slime Eels. They...

That sure is inspirational..and very good news. I got my first 50 ton ocean operators license in 1983 (didn't use it much). I now have a 100 ton but it is in "continuity", so that it can not be used, but it is fairly easy to get it legal to use. I would have to pass the physical, so your story...

What did the cannibal get from his wife when he was late for dinner?.... The cold shoulder.

..

A wife, standing in front of the mirror, tells her husband, "My skin is wrinkled, my legs are bowed, my hair is gray... I look like an old lady... Please say something to me that might make me feel better about myself"....... The husband's reply...."Your eyesight is still perfect."

Those "sailers" are no joke. In California .....they always signified major changes in ocean conditions... I always found them to be beautiful.... but the sight of them is unnerving... Millions of them "sailing" across the surface of the Pacific is quite a sight.

..

Retractors. There are so many (affordable) options . And they have so many uses. I use them for my clippers and sometimes for my forceps, but I have used retractors for many things over the years..and I'm here to tell ya, they can be very handy.

Widest lens available, and as close as possible. Also known as "close focus- wide angle photography". Extremely wide angle lenses can be focused quite close to the fish..and also include the surrounding scenery. Take my word for it...it makes for some nice images, and is fun to play with. Close...

I fished a lot of small streams in the Eastern Sierras. I used a very nice, small spinning rod. 90% of the time I was casting a small, gold, sinking Rapala. It sounds crazy, but that particular plug was the magic ticket. A nice deep pocket can take a lot of hiking. I would take a lot of time...

A man named Mas Oyama used to actually fight bulls to demonstrate his martial arts skills. He fought 52 bulls and killed three of them. The old videos are interesting.

Back to the OP wanting to learn to swim. In my opinion, learning to swim must be done in warm water or appropriate wet suits. This is paramount. If you are cold, that's going to be counter productive. If you are warm you will advance much faster. Some pools are cold. If you feel "cold" I suggest...

"I used to have a problem with drugs....but now I have lot's of money". Tommy Lee Roth