The freezing rain did bring some solitude, but was a little frustrated-disappointed with some other nymph fishing-people low-holed me (or effectively stepped into my swing (lower fly fishing zone)). I eventually walked away and found some good water under little pressure.

I got a couple of tugs off a black with green-chartreuse speys. I keep with with my Scandi on Sage Z-Axis 7136 and used tips from tips weights of 3, 6 and 8, fishing from small to large. My forward casting is getting better, but I need more practice.

As far as those who caught and landed fish, here are my observations:

• Saw people dragging out some sorry Coho.
• Steelhead were dark, saw one chrome jumper.
• No Browns.
  .
• Water Temp: 33F and flow was at 500+ CFM.
  .
• One of my favourite spots, had some solitude. It was also being worked by a fine spey caster with his back in the trees. On walking out, believe I re-meet Rick Kutish. If it was Rick or not, we agreed it was not productive catching. Oh well, if we want fish we would center-pin.
  .
• Lower Fishing Zone – Top Pool at the Top, River Left. One gentleman from MASS had the best-bad luck, and after 3 hours was 1-10. Said he was using 3x tippet, but was not able to keep them on. With 3x Tippet, he should have been able to pull them in harder. He was rigged with a float and a orange fly 8+’ below.
• Lower Fishing Zone – Top Pool at the Top, River Right – Dave a Musican from NJ (I believe) nymphed below a float landed a nice dark steelhead (with the broke broken to boot).  A find gentleman and great to share the pool with (until I was crowded out).
• OldFarts: The float-nymphers were getting NADA, but across, some nice spey fishing by 3 guys, with a tug.
• Just above Altmar Bridge, a few small dark steelhead were taken. All people nymphing with floats.
• Got a tug late out of School-House. I was only person swinging a fly. 
  • Disappointed people who take the fish and leave it on the stringer, do not humanely kill the fish right away.
• Some some ugly Coho pulled out from the Electrical Towers. Mostly float fishing, and a few spin rods.
• At Refrigerator, met Pat Miura with a couple of clients. A friendly soul, who acts with consideration.
• No-one reported any success at Ellis.
• Saw a bright steelhead jump at the Pineville Bridge.
  .
• I believe I found a “chute” at Pineville USCG reporting station which strip and eventually ripped the head off my fly line. I had to recreate a loop head and eventually buy a replaced tip. I lost a Blue Heron. Also dropped a Lady Caroline (duh) and earlier placed a Blue Spade in the trees across the river.

The snow and freezing rain continues.

A view this afternoon from the office.

Last, when winter is too much, how about some indoor carp fishing?

As the sunset’s the cardinals begin to look for food, and Earthworm Jim watches.

Observations: Though well tented with my preference for a low-set, the hook (a Daiichi 2441 (2)) is a little short, and thus the featherwing proportion is a little long for a classic look (wing tip too the bend of the hook, with a preference of the tip to the point).

Other potential hooks:

• Those truest to Syd Glasso concept would probably be:
  • Alec Jackson 2091 Blind Eye Hook (1.5), long with a graceful bend.
  • Alec Jackson Spey Hook 1.5 (and there are heavy variants)
• There are other hooks out there, but this reflects what I have on hand. Maybe in the future, I will try a hook pattern shoot-out, comparing same construction and materials on different hooks.  But I need to get over my current backlog of projects and travel.

.

Block Planes

Stanley 9 1/2: Stanley continues to update (retooling) their production line (to lower costs). My mine plane is circa 2000, which appears to be at least one major revision behind. To get it into prduction, mine (like all low cost planes on the market today) needed a lttle tuning, I removed some accessory stamped hardware to improve fit and spent some time on a plate-glass with sharpening paper to properly flatten the base. Once done, this tool has worked well.

Lie-Nelson: A fine tool. Upon receipt, I verified it was flat, change to a Hock High Carbon Plane and away I went. I did not have the plane base altered with a “rodmaker’s edge”, given I started without one and been able to manage the plane accordingly. If necessary, I was willing to add some think UHMW tape.

Lee-Valley now make a fine block plane that would be worth considering, but I have 2, and do not need any more. If I went this route, I would select an O1 blade with it, rather than order a custom blade from Ron.

I also have an ECE Wood Base Plane, a nice tool, but the wood base is not as durable, and is used in limited applications.

Plane Blades: Simple, remove the original blade (use it as a jig oor for hack jobs) and replace it with a Hock High Carbon Plane.

Jigs

Suporting my standard honing guide, I have created some wood blocks with pre-defined depths to enable quick and repeatable angle settings to 40 degrees (21mm offset). I do have alternate jigs for ~25, 30 and 45 degrees, with 49mm, 39mm, and 15mm offsets, respectively.  In near future to compliment my new Workshop 3000, I am likely to make a jig at 37 degrees.

For The Kell Honing Guide, I use an adjustable flush protractor to set the edge I want. If this was my main-stay Honing Guide, I would take the effort to make the jigs.

Protective Considerations:

• I never lay the plane on its base, except when it on the work piece and being used. Otherwise, it is on its side resting on some protective (scrap-recycle) upholstery leather or wrap in such scraps.
• I have some protective fleece envelopes to hold the blades.
• Planes, Jigs and the like are stored in a Tupperware Container.
• Camellia Oil is used as a protective film on the metal, when in storage.
• Keep some protective tight fitting gloves with me to reduce slivers from handling the bamboo.
• And all (including the honing guides, but not the oil) is stored tightly in an old Tupperware container with dessicant.

And the water bottle in the above picture. I use it, when the waterstone are in-use. But that is for a future post.

.

• 10 tbsp Olive Oil
• 30 okra, 1/4″ slices
• 2 lbs Chicken Thighs, 1″ pieces skinned and boneless
• 6+ tbsp Flour
• 1 Onion, Chopped
• 1 Red Pepper, Seeded and Dice
• 1 Green Pepper, Seeded and Dice
• 3 Garlic Cloves, Minced.
• 14oz Tomatoes, Dice + Juice
• 5c Chicken Stock
• Cajun Spice – Cayenne, Paprika, Chili, Cloves and-or Green Tabasco
• 4 Andouille Sausage
• 12 Medium Shrimp
• 1 tsp file powder

 Steps

• Heat 2 tbsp oil at medium heat
• Add okra.
• Stir until golden brown, 12+ min.
• Transfer to bowl, set aside.
  .
• Add 2 tbsp of oil at medium-high.
• Add chicken
• Add flour to cover chicken.
• Saute until lightly brown.
• Transfer to new bowl, set aside.
  .
• Add 6 tbsp of oil.
• Heat for 2 minutes.
• Add 6+ tbsp flour.
• Stir to make a brown roux.
• Reduce to medium.
• Add onions and pepper.
• Cook until soften, 10 min.
• Add garlic, cook another 1 min.
  .
  Roux is a simple, important and personal  choice. Comapred to most recipes, I use more flour than most and I now do it my preference. If you do not know how to make a Roux, look on the web for more details.
  .
• Add okra, tomato, cook 1 min.
• Add stock and spices to taste.
• Bring to boil.
• Simmer until thicken, 20+ min.
  . 
• Add chicken, cook another 10+ min.
• Add sausage, cook another 5 min.
• Add shrimp until pink, ~3 min.
• Add file and cook 1 min.
• Discard bay leaf.
  . 
• Keeps for 4 days.
• Can be served with Jasmine Rice.

Variations

• Low spice – for those who family members are sensitive to spices, limited the spices during the cooking and provide Green Tabasco at the dining room table for those who want more kick.
  .
• Vegetarion –  Forgo the Chicken, Chicken Stock and Sausage. Replace with Halibut, Vegetable Stock and add more shrimp in.
  .

Anyway, it is winter, and we use to live to the right (on the island, behind the trees and above the falls you cannot see).

And though the season is closed, it is where I fish for fun (smallmouth bass) after work.

.

To recap:

• The no-name guide (top) enables an easy registration (create your own jigs) and ensuring a square face for repeatable edges. Though, with its smaller centered roller in the under carriage, you need to be careful that you do not roll side to side.
• The Richard Kell guide (lower) is stable quality tool, but what comes with this is a wide base (need to work on glass with paper or wide stones (3″ minimum width)) and blade needs to supported as it wants to fall back.

I should note I have two different blades in – the top unit has a blade fitted for a “new era”  Stanley 9 1/2 Block Plane which is wider than the blade below for my Lie-Nielson Block Plane, Standard Angle.

Though I have included some links to other external websites, it is likely over the years, these links will break. Once they do, please “Google” it.

.

So over this (and the next blogs?), I am going to post some notes on sharpening based on lesson that I have learnt.

Lets start with jigs and honing guides. I have used several amd here are my thoughts.

• The standard vise honing guide as illustrated above is my goto guide.
  • Pro: Keeps iron square and with a simple homemade block, I am able to quickly able to get a repeatable. Also in-expensive.
  • Con: Roller wheel (under) is narrow and subject to rocking. I have considered (in my sleep) about finding a larger roller and adapting the tool for the wider blades that I use. 
    .
• All guides need care in handling and with application of power.
  .
• The Richard Kell Honing Guide, a beautiful tool and very stable, but best for low angles or short blades.
  • Pro: Solid tool that will provide you a nice square edge.
  • Con: The stability comes with the use of 2 low mounted guides to the sides of the blade. In doing so, there are a couple of inherit cons > 1) With the mount so low, putting in a steep angle the assembly becomes very top heavy and increases the complexity of holding. 2) Ensure your stones are wide or sharpened on glass-paper given the increase width of the assembly.
    .
• The Lee Valley Sharpening System (see picture below), no longer used (not recommended)
  • Pro: Can do a nice micro-bevel.
  • Con: Roller wears too easy (replaced 2), setting and maintaining a square blade is difficult with no guides and a screw down clamp; though the angle jig has presets in-place it is not simple to use and ensure a repeatable angle (replace with home jig).
  • The update guide from Lee Valley, the MK II , which I have not used,  includes a jig attachment for angles and what appears to be a bar to secure the blade. Appears to be real improvements over the previous noted guide, but I have not used it.
    . 
    .  
    .

In our house-hold, we have 5 computers:

• 3 Apples – 2 MacBook Pros and 1 iMAC
• 2 Win-PCs – Two dinosaurs running Microsoft – 13 year old desktop (runs current software, like TurboTax for small business) and 5 year old laptop (current apps, but a little dam slow with all of the security overhead laid on top to). The laptop is the standard issue from my company, who believes computers should remain current for a minimum of five years (unless you are in IT or a VP).
  • Apple maintains a support for spares of 4 years maximum.
• Also have 2 Toyotas – 1998 Corolla and 2006 Sienna.
  • With a few acres of land and forest, also have chainsaw, tractor, snowblower, et cetera, ~10 year old.

The repair record for the past 2 years:

• Apple: 7 trips for repair, one of which is damaged caused by my daughter (accident in moving), requiring replacement drives, motherboards and an OS rebuild. It is not just the laptops, but all three computers have needed repair and replacement – 3 under the 1 yr warranty.
• Dinosaur PCs: 0
• Old Toyotas: 1 – Remove nail out of tire.  Does not include Oil Changes and seasonal tire changes.
• Tractor, Chainsaws, Blowers, Lawnmowers: 1 – Drive belt slip (my fault), does not include maintenance.

So of all of the equipment we have, I spend the most, the majority of, effort managing and repairing Apple Computers.

Acknowledging my Brother-In-Law replaced his second iMac in 6 years (2x motherboard), and my Mother-in-Law her iMac (screen) as well, but my fathers’s Win-PC keeps working (damm old thing (last motherboard refresh is 7 years ago), I have come to the conclusion that Apple Computer reliability is just plain bad.

But hey, they have a solution for their poor reliability, spend more money and get an AppleCare programme to extend replacement to 3 years.   Keep in mind, after that, a failure will cost you dearly, and after 4 years, no authorized Apple centre is suppose to have parts to repair your freshly minted electronic-waste filler.

Apple provides a premium computer and a companywith 81 Billion USD in cash reserves, but it is time Apple spent some of their hoard in managing quality, reliability and maybe at the same time, we will slow the rate of growth of electronic waste into our landfills.

.

Postscript > If I had any good news, the quality of the AppleCare Support Team is high – on phone or those that I have visited. Now, they need to match this quality experience with a reliable PC. A computer should not be designed as a disposable fashion accessory, but a good tool.

My corresponding Twit can be restated as:  iMac repair done well & working. Repair history for Apple worst than my 98 Corolla, is Apple the new old FIAT (Lada).

The drive into the “Genius Bar” was a challenge with  snow, ice and freezing rain, but as the last day for 2011, the computer was still running, weather cleared and start of the next year looks good.

Anyway, time to move on, at least forget until an Apple computer breaks again. 

.