Activity for That Idiot‭

Type	On...	Excerpt	Status	Date
Edit	Post #41922	Initial revision	—	over 4 years ago
Edit	Post #41894	Initial revision	—	over 4 years ago
Edit	Post #41783	Initial revision	—	over 4 years ago
Edit	Post #41475	Initial revision	—	over 4 years ago
Answer	—	A: Can anyone help identify this skull fragment I am fairly confident that it is the skull plate of a Sea Robin. This link is to fossilized collection pieces, but modern ones would be the same. Not sure how it wound up in the woods of central Connecticut, but I suppose a bird could have carried it there. I don't have a photo of my own, but here's... (more)	—	almost 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Does less riverside vegetation lead to fewer fish? Lack of vegetation along the banks will have a number of effects, each of which can affect fish populations. Vegetation will shade the water. This will reduce water temperatures which is typically good for fish. The shade can also provide cover for fish in the stream and give them a greater sense o... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is the casting technique any different when using a dry and a wet fly at the same time? Not only is it possible, but it is a great tactic when prospecting a new stream to figure out what's working. You definitely have to modify your cast to keep the loops larger and more open, similar to the way you would with a sinking line. I find it helps to slow everything down to make this work we... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Scat identification from northern New Jersey It looks like a raccoon latrine (and here) to me. We don't have skunks in my area, but perhaps you do. It could be that. In either case I'd be careful around it and try to find a way to discourage the animals from continuing to use it. (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Fish aren't biting, how to get more bites? It would be good to know if you are certain that there actually ARE fish bigger than the palm of your hand in the area. But let's assume that there are. Whenever I come across suspicious fish that won't bite anything, I try two different tactics. The first and almost always the best is to use live b... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is there a way to attract more birds to my yard without a bird feeder? Plant Plants. Birds are drawn to various plants for various reasons. Off the top of my head: To gather nesting material - small twigs or fluffy seeds As a nesting location - good cover or protected location To eat insects that are attracted to the plants - flowering plants will be covered in insec... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to sharpen a peculiar looking knife That looks to be what is known as a flat "Scandi" grind on the edge. There are a lot of good resources online about how to sharpen this type of grind, but basically this is considered a relatively sturdy grind and simple to sharpen because there is no secondary bevel. The angle of that "edge" is your... (more)	—	almost 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to clean and cook Asian Carp Here's a decent video detailing just how to do it: Basically filet it like any other fish. Remove the "dark meat" that is pungent and distasteful. Then remove the row of spines. Taste tests described in the video show that virtually everyone preferred asian carp (poached or fried) over the other va... (more)	—	about 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: Restore knife to factory sharp condition Take it to a knife smith. They have specialized equipment, experience, and knowledge. They'll be able to put an appropriate grind back on it and address any other issues. (more)	—	about 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: Difference between tippet and plain old mono or fluorocarbon? You CAN use the fluorocarbon for tippet. In fact many high quality tippets ARE made of fluorocarbon. What you get by buying the smaller roll of tippet is portability and the ability to conveniently carry several different sizes. When fly fishing you will need to adjust your tippet according to the... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: Fly fishing leaders braided If by braided line you mean something like spider-wire or power-pro, they wouldn't have the backbone to turn over a fly - especially something you are likely to throw for bass. Most bass plugs are fairly large and they float - so the leader/tippet doesn't really have to float. It could even be argu... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: What do you call it when a sailboat starts to have trouble? I grew up around sailboats and live on an island. I have always heard the word "foundering" used to describe a boat taking on water and sinking. I have heard the word "flounder" used in connection with boats in less serious trouble. A discussion of the usages can be found in Merriam-Webster: Whe... (more)	—	almost 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Alternative Gooseneck options for small home built sail boats How about this Sprit rig, which requires no hardware for the connection. The forward end of the boom is attached to the mast with another small line called a Boom SNOTTER. This short line should be permanently on the mast for sake of convenience. It has either a knot or a loop in one end, and goe... (more)	—	about 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: PICTURED - What causes this sort of clearing? That is cause by clearcut timber harvesting. Timber harvesters will remove branches from trees that they fell and leave them on site. They will also sometimes leave specimen trees to help repopulate the area - or leave undesirable individual trees or species. The standing trees might also be the resu... (more)	—	about 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: When are the best times/months to catch speckled trout on the US Gulf Coast? Texas has a coast-wide, year-round speckled trout fishery. But Speckled trout fishing is hot in May and June and from October through January. (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Can elk hair be replaced by deer hair when tying a dry fly? From what I understand, the floatation characteristics should be relatively similar since both types of hair contain "chambers" that keep in air and provide floatation. An important difference is how they behave when tied. Deer hair will flare more when wrapped, while the elk hair will tend to remain... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: When to kill and bleed a fish Your concern for keeping the fish alive longer than necessary is valid. I used to like to club fish to kill them immediately. However I now typically bleed by cutting the gills as you describe. This kills the fish rather quickly if done properly. It also offers other benefits which may or may not be ... (more)	—	almost 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Drift fishing vs anchor fishing? To supplement the points in Escoce's answer: NOTE: The following is salt-water-centric. It may or may not apply to fresh water. Anchor when: you are chunking or chumming - the fish will follow the scent trail to the source. Wind or currents would move the boat into an undesirable or dangerous pos... (more)	—	almost 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do I setup a proper jig? I assume you are asking about striped bass. Although I have never fished for stripers (or rockfish, depending on where you are) on the Pacific side of the USA, this is the species that surf anglers in the Northeast target most passionately. Many of the best places to find them are those with strong c... (more)	—	about 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do you eat nettles? I have only had them as a tea with raspberry leaves. Refreshing enough, but nothing I'd actively forage to accomplish. However since the USDA report (direct PDF download) says that stinging nettles are 2.7% protein, and high in a number of vitamins and minerals, I think I'll try using them in a few... (more)	—	about 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Fishing Rods: One Piece or Two Piece I fish for everything from 9" brook trout to 15 lb. bluefish to 40 lb. striped bass on both fly rod and spinning tackle, and honestly I don't think I would say that one is better than the other except for the fact that with 1 piece rods you don't worry about losing your tip, OR that with multi-piece ... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Rod and Tackle Combination for Beginner Fisher Your choice of an ugly stick is fantastic. I fish more specialized rods now, but I have owned many ugly sticks over the years, and they are rock solid performers. For the "small-water" fishing destinations and the species you say you'll be targeting, I would go for something in the 5-7' range - in a... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: What adjustments should be made to cast when using a heavier fly line than rod class? Your rod will take longer to unload and shoot the line under these conditions, giving the line more time to fall. Since the extra line weight will cause your rod to behave as if it has a "slower action," you will need to slow down a bit and open your cast as well as cast higher on back cast. The mag... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Can I use wading sandals with waders? I would hesitate to do so. The keen wading sandals I've worn let in a fair amount of gravel. This gravel, when caught between the sandal and the neoprene bootie, will make mincemeat of the bootie - causing it to leak. Gravel is a concern even when using full-on wading boots. To combat this many wad... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is there a good and fast way to dry used flies before storing them? This type of dry fly floatant powder is quite effective at drying off smaller flies. I believe it's the same silica gel that is used to keep packaged electronics dry. But I typically just press flies between folds of a cotton t-shirt briefly. This will draw most of the water out and restore "floata... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Will practicing casting on my backyard lawn damage my fly line? If so, how to avoid it? Fly lines have special coatings that help you cast and manage the line on/in the water. Under ideal conditions you would use an older line for practice on the land because repeated contact with the ground, vegetation, sticks, etc. will damage your line: Rough spots will not shoot through guides as ... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: What are the disadvantages of using a lighter fly line than the indicated for the reel? I assume you are considering a new reel with multiple spools. The reel's performance will not be affected except that with a lighter line you will be able to fit more backing. In a 5wt setup that usually wouldn't offer any benefit. One potential issue with using a much larger reel is the balance. Y... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: What are safe/effective leaves from around the world for use in tidying up your backside after answering the call of nature? I'll start with a local favorite: great mullein or common mullein (Verbascum thapsus) Introduced to the North America. I've found it from New York to North Carolina. Apparently originated in Europe and Asia, I think. The leaves are large, moderately durable, thick, but soft and fuzzy. Their usefuln... (more)	—	almost 10 years ago
Question	—	What are safe/effective leaves from around the world for use in tidying up your backside after answering the call of nature? This partially answered in this question about toilet paper alternatives but it only says be careful what plants you use. I'd like to know specifically what plants are the best in your part of the world and why? Also, where is that part of the world? If you could comment on availability, durability... (more)	—	almost 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: New to fishing in Virginia I can relate to the desire to fish close to home. I rarely travel more than 30 minutes to fish. However I think you would be missing out on a lifetime experience if you didn't spend some time fishing the small brook-trout streams out in Rappahannock, Madison and Greene Counties. I'm talking about the... (more)	—	about 10 years ago
Question	—	Are surface plugs effective for fishing in choppy water? I tend not to use surface plugs in rough water, merely because I find them more difficult to fish. But are they less productive in choppy water than when the surface is calm? (more)	—	about 10 years ago
Question	—	Ration or consume water? In a situation where you don't know when you will find water again, is it better to ration the water you have over time (and ever increasing dehydration) or to drink it to quench thirst as soon as needed? It seems like there would be a tradeoff between longevity and performance in choosing one or th... (more)	—	about 10 years ago
Question	—	When should you carry a firearm when hiking/trekking? When my friend planned to hike the Appalachian trail, his mother insisted he take her small handgun. I didn't think it would be a great idea in that case, but I'm sure there must be times when such gear would be advisable. Is it ever necessary if there aren't known dangers from large predators? (more)	—	about 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Fly casting in heavy cover/growth I have found the side cast, and here, to be very useful in the situations you describe. I spent a number of years fishing small streams in the Blue Ridge of VA, and this type of cast gave me better reach than roll casting. I also favored a 6'6" rod in 1 or 2 wt. The short length of the rod kept me ... (more)	—	about 10 years ago