First I want to say something to you 4X4 - if anyone is going to 'call out' someone they better have the balls to use their real name or they are just plain lame! I don't advocate invading privacy by checking into members ISP #s at all, but it is tempting to ask Bob to in your case. ...

I feel a long rant coming on here, because I'm on drugs tonight. Just kidding! Well, more caffeine than I should have at this time of night! ... As for Keith (stlhdr1) I will say some things. I have communicated quite a bit with Keith by mail and phone, and via others that we mutually know. We are going to finally fish together this Thursday; given nothing unforeseen happening. What I will say is Keith is one of the great fishermen. He is also a good guy, despite being one of the best self promo smack talkers, for which I got in his face for a time or two. I've come to feel now that it's no big deal - it's because he is young (mid twenties) and good at what he does. His life and esteem are fishing. He is like a lot of very good fishermen in those regards; so again, not such a big deal. I was like that at his age when I would sometimes outfish whole boatloads of guides and their clients by myself from the bank. Couldn't wait to take the pics and start the smack talkin . Like Keith, I fished several days per week (even before I became a full-time guide) and I got very dialed into what it took to catch double figures of steelhead and salmon on certain rivers on any given week. Keith and his friends are doing this now. Things change from week to week and it's a tremendous advantage to be out there a lot to dial into what it's taking - including which cures, scents, and colors the fish have been in the mood for that week, or even all season - but very importantly, also where the fish are and are hitting the best. You can't compete with being out there a lot if you can't too; even if you might have an overall better knowledge base (which frustrates me these days because I only fish once or twice a week - but I usually make decent educated guesses of what to do). These guys are both good and dialed in big time and they are catching loads of fish - I doubt very much they are exagerating from what I've heard from mutual friends. I am looking forward to learning some things fishing with him this week and other times. I especially need to learn more about the intracacies of the 'full of fish' NF. I will dial him in on the Tillamook rivers sometime in exchange (Mark A. and I have had many double figure days on the Wilson this past year or so - including during a filmed outdoor TV show; yes, partly good luck). And I will tell you about his expected excellant egg cure after trying it a few times. ... Please excuse the long rant - sometimes I am a 'ramblin kind of guy', as Steve Martin used to say after drinking coffee .

As for the smack talkin, when I first got into moderating fishing BBs I was adverse to it. But I have slowly been brought back into it meself . Anyone who reads the Floatilla III threads have seen me post some ugly smack talkin trash. It's mostly all in fun and not really very serious. So I have learned to be more tolerant of guys that want to blow their horn publicly. But ultimately, letting the bent rods do the talking for you draws more respect in the long run. It's something I learned, forgot again when caught up in the sheeyat, and am re-learning again; as Keith will with time. ... Really looking forward to fishing with ya this week dude. Fun!

Edit: BTW Parker, I see ya got that timing thing working a little better. Way to go; nice fishies. (With his good ethic, I'm sure those adipose fins were legal where they caught them).

RT

[ 09-10-2001: Message edited by: RT 1 ]