tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15358428213782631432024-03-14T04:22:50.065-04:00TN Outdoors FanaticA blog dedicated to faith, family, friends, and fishing.Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621652682624770032noreply@blogger.comBlogger192125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535842821378263143.post-39075708334799939492022-05-19T19:52:00.002-04:002022-05-19T19:53:11.326-04:00Cooking Wild Turkey Legs & Things: Don't Waste Them<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tWaGdE28bEQ?clip=UgkxCXJJZIffkdV4iRUFUllJ8587eMvkLvkK&clipt=ENeAAxi6hgY" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621652682624770032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535842821378263143.post-86493799387341747252017-08-14T21:19:00.000-04:002017-08-14T21:22:52.825-04:002017 TN Turkey Season Video: Parts 2 & 3
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Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621652682624770032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535842821378263143.post-68467205244861558122017-06-19T19:41:00.000-04:002017-07-26T22:50:21.085-04:00Checking In...<div style="text-align: left;">
Well, it is amazing how quickly time can get away from you. A few years ago I decided to start this blog after watching a good friend David Knapp create his blog The Trout Zone. Those first couple of years I worked to maintain and update my content and keep the blog current. Shortly after life caught up with me and the process of raising the kids, helping maintain my parents' farm, and increasing job responsibilities has taken me away from contributing to the blog as often as I would like. While those things are still occurring, they have change a little. For example, my employer has recently closed my office and moved my work location to my home office. That turns out to be a wonderful blessing from God because it gives me more time with my family, but also it allows me to focus on the other distraction in our lives. That distraction being that we are in the process of building our forever house on the farm, a place where we can raise our kids where they feel safe and are free to roam and enjoy the country lifestyle that we so enjoy. Hopefully, I will also be able to become more consistent in updating the blog content, and I really need to get back out on the water. I had intentions of getting out recently, but work obligations popped up and I found myself out of town traveling instead of fishing. </div>
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I did make a more dedicated effort this past turkey season to record every hunt, and I even took along a couple of special guests with me. Below is Part 1 of a little video I created from the TN Spring Turkey Season. Part 2 is in progress, but it will probably take a little while to complete because I managed to capture about 100 video clips over the course of 5 weeks, and editing these all together is taking some time.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ig1bACknaRE" width="640"></iframe>Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621652682624770032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535842821378263143.post-54415849830917497422017-02-20T21:53:00.001-05:002017-02-20T21:53:34.545-05:002017 NWTF Convention Video<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/boj24Mf4Jdw" width="560"></iframe>Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621652682624770032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535842821378263143.post-48183270866113678332017-02-06T22:06:00.000-05:002017-02-06T22:06:51.999-05:00General Tso's PheasantTonight I made one of my wife's favorite dishes that I cook, and it was using one of the pheasants harvested in the video posted last night.<br />
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After defrosting the bird in the vacuum bag, you must de-bone it. One whole pheasant makes enough meat for my family of 4, when eating it with fried rice.<br />
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I choose to use all of the meat, including leg and thigh meat. <br />
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I cut all the meat into small 1" x 1/2" chunks. Cutting it into chunks helps to look over the meat for any pellets that may have been missed during the cleaning process.<br />
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Then toss the pheasant chunks in corn starch.<br />
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Pan fry the coated chunks in a non-stick skillet with vegetable oil in it. Make sure to cook on medium high heat, and for chunks of this size it should only take about 10 minutes to cook thoroughly.<br />
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Once the pheasant is cooked completely, add about 3 tablespoons of General Tso's (or General Tao's) sauce along with a 1/4 cup of peanuts for flavor and texture.<br />
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I prefer to eat mine with a light drizzle of Sriracha hot sauce. It is a really simple use of this flavorful bird and not only does my wife like it, so do my kids.<br />
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Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621652682624770032noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535842821378263143.post-91480566770942063602017-02-05T17:47:00.001-05:002017-02-05T17:47:39.060-05:002017 Season Short_KS Pheasant Hunt<br /><br />
A short video of my very first pheasant and quail hunt, this time in early January. The weather was variable and made for some interesting conditions! <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aDHNslzC54Y" width="480"></iframe>Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621652682624770032noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535842821378263143.post-33845862843786544322016-09-22T21:52:00.000-04:002016-09-22T21:52:23.342-04:00WestTrip 2016 Slideshow<iframe frameborder="0" height="480" scrolling="0" src="http://knxtravis80.zenfolio.com/zf/core/embedgallery.aspx?p=1157ecd20ffd02211CCCCCC03e111111F5F5F5DDDDDD555555CCCCCC.2" style="background-color: #555555;" width="640"></iframe>Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621652682624770032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535842821378263143.post-59315152135449526872016-07-06T20:52:00.001-04:002016-07-06T20:52:20.926-04:002016 Season Short: The Preparation<br />
Below is a short video of our summer preparation for the upcoming fall deer season.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BZP0_psMxQ4" width="560"></iframe>Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621652682624770032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535842821378263143.post-29126218252206597922016-02-13T19:31:00.004-05:002016-02-13T19:31:57.451-05:00NWTF 2016 National Convention with Trey<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TUBJlDNJO_c" width="560"></iframe>Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621652682624770032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535842821378263143.post-53187269981678694712016-01-16T21:28:00.001-05:002016-01-16T21:28:38.175-05:00Recipe: deer organ tacosOne of my son's favorite things I make after killing a deer is heart and liver tacos. So, I figured that I would share with anybody interested.<div><br></div><div>I have learned that one whitetail heart basically will only make about 3 soft tacos, so I supplement with deer liver.</div><div><br></div><div>I prepare the heart first by cutting off any fat and tough skin on the outside. I then cut out the stringy connective tissue around the heart cavity. After doing that I then dice the meat into roughly 1/2" x 1/2" pieces. I sprinkle a little salt on the meat after cutting.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5SW99kfAq3k/Vpr8TRWcOQI/AAAAAAAABW4/sYKeCGYPiGc/s640/blogger-image-388702870.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5SW99kfAq3k/Vpr8TRWcOQI/AAAAAAAABW4/sYKeCGYPiGc/s640/blogger-image-388702870.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7EGjmBK7LPo/Vpr8UT7rYnI/AAAAAAAABXA/2Mq3KaDR5Ks/s640/blogger-image--1116742541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7EGjmBK7LPo/Vpr8UT7rYnI/AAAAAAAABXA/2Mq3KaDR5Ks/s640/blogger-image--1116742541.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>I melt butter in a skillet and then sauté minced garlic in the butter. Brown the heart meat in the butter and garlic sauce.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vM-hMbAojcw/Vpr8Smj3zSI/AAAAAAAABWw/dxuNqQLDJVI/s640/blogger-image--753813890.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vM-hMbAojcw/Vpr8Smj3zSI/AAAAAAAABWw/dxuNqQLDJVI/s640/blogger-image--753813890.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>After the meat is brown I deglaze the skillet using the liquid of my choice and simmer the meat until the liquid evaporates. My current favorite is a margarita mix. I find it gives a nice flavor profile typical of traditional Mexican cuisine and leaves a nice rich coating on the meat. We eat this on warm tortillas typically with just cilantro and diced onion (although sometimes we add sour cream).</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-599KTItIuAM/Vpr8VGLtv8I/AAAAAAAABXI/62KboBtSSSU/s640/blogger-image--1604433053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-599KTItIuAM/Vpr8VGLtv8I/AAAAAAAABXI/62KboBtSSSU/s640/blogger-image--1604433053.jpg"></a></div>If you have never tried deer heart I highly recommend it. It is extremely mild and tender and takes on additional flavored very easily. It is quickly becoming a favorite cut of meat for my family.</div><div><br></div>Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621652682624770032noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535842821378263143.post-59454540255900121232015-12-29T19:14:00.001-05:002015-12-29T19:14:53.651-05:00Warm weather slowing the huntI always struggle this time of year with whether to deer hunt or trout fish. Typically, since my family prefers deer to trout that usually makes the decision for me. This warm snap is really playing havoc with the deer this fall/winter. After a crazy couple of weeks during the rut, things have totally calmed down. While it has made for comfortable sits, the weather has prevented much movement after 9AM. However, it has still been nice taking in the scenery.<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-a1oKeLY2xB4/VoMh_Jlh6UI/AAAAAAAABWM/UDXuhhyBLrE/s640/blogger-image--1791313204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-a1oKeLY2xB4/VoMh_Jlh6UI/AAAAAAAABWM/UDXuhhyBLrE/s640/blogger-image--1791313204.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JuPJgbkCWHE/VoMh9zEx7_I/AAAAAAAABWA/SUB8IKd8CFM/s640/blogger-image-1868543563.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JuPJgbkCWHE/VoMh9zEx7_I/AAAAAAAABWA/SUB8IKd8CFM/s640/blogger-image-1868543563.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Found these mushrooms the day after Christmas and thought they were oyster mushrooms, but not sure.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">After passing on lots of does during archery season I was praying for a decent 1.5 yr or older doe to walk past during the either sex rifle season. Thankfully, my prayers were granted and I was able to put more 100% organic locally sourced healthy protein in the freezer! As always I said a little prayer of thanksgiving for the sacrifice and the food it will provide.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-45YGlc1Vqvg/VoMh-i8rCHI/AAAAAAAABWE/tN1JSE_EhzE/s640/blogger-image-279327753.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-45YGlc1Vqvg/VoMh-i8rCHI/AAAAAAAABWE/tN1JSE_EhzE/s640/blogger-image-279327753.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">My family consumed almost 90 lbs of deer meat last year, and that allowed us to not buy any beef all last year. To date, my two deer this year only come out to around 65 lbs, so I will need to try and pick up another over the next week or so.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div>Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621652682624770032noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535842821378263143.post-89982750214159329662015-12-06T17:01:00.001-05:002015-12-06T17:01:50.604-05:00No Time to Fish, it is Deer Season<div><br></div>In addition to extremely high workloads and travel every other week, it is also deer season. Therefore, I have had no opportunities for fishing. Unfortunately, that means I didn't even take advantage of some of the fabled trout waters of central PA where I have been for a few weeks this fall. Regardless, below are a few pictures from the deer season so far.<div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Xm8iPJTjoQ0/VmSwNI4mboI/AAAAAAAABVY/lAVhuDYd7Mk/s640/blogger-image--1340919087.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Xm8iPJTjoQ0/VmSwNI4mboI/AAAAAAAABVY/lAVhuDYd7Mk/s640/blogger-image--1340919087.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Xm8iPJTjoQ0/VmSwNI4mboI/AAAAAAAABVY/lAVhuDYd7Mk/s640/blogger-image--1340919087.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-n7yEXbBYZgo/VmSwMTQjm6I/AAAAAAAABVQ/pXpuZOXSuQI/s640/blogger-image--220512475.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-n7yEXbBYZgo/VmSwMTQjm6I/AAAAAAAABVQ/pXpuZOXSuQI/s640/blogger-image--220512475.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9INfBcs9O2k/VmSwOOjABaI/AAAAAAAABVg/uolI2MvcVMs/s640/blogger-image--108681254.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9INfBcs9O2k/VmSwOOjABaI/AAAAAAAABVg/uolI2MvcVMs/s640/blogger-image--108681254.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bfLLroWOUsg/VmSwO3dgONI/AAAAAAAABVk/G3mP5IB6X5I/s640/blogger-image--949795557.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bfLLroWOUsg/VmSwO3dgONI/AAAAAAAABVk/G3mP5IB6X5I/s640/blogger-image--949795557.jpg"></a></div><br></div></div></div>Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621652682624770032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535842821378263143.post-78103866669052660662015-08-16T16:45:00.001-04:002015-08-16T16:45:02.803-04:00Rabbit snack-itsI thought that I would share a recipe that my kids really enjoy. Lacking a better name, I am just calling it rabbit snack-its, and it consists of heart, liver, and random meat clippings that were left over during the cleaning stage. <div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1AA0mxbML8s/VdD2R4gFllI/AAAAAAAABUE/OqBJb4YzeEo/s640/blogger-image-904438749.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1AA0mxbML8s/VdD2R4gFllI/AAAAAAAABUE/OqBJb4YzeEo/s640/blogger-image-904438749.jpg"></a></div>I start by prepping the pieces. The liver is quite large and needs to be cut into thirds (follow the natural shape of the liver). Thoroughly wash all pieces.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OxL_Mdpt29E/VdD2TYPNxNI/AAAAAAAABUU/FP8yBftxXVk/s640/blogger-image--414396282.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OxL_Mdpt29E/VdD2TYPNxNI/AAAAAAAABUU/FP8yBftxXVk/s640/blogger-image--414396282.jpg"></a></div>Next roll the chunks in a mixture of flour and seasoning of your choice (I use garlic salt and a little chili powder).</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pLgzdZkFqqI/VdD2SiM7epI/AAAAAAAABUM/0PgTZoa-org/s640/blogger-image--854540477.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pLgzdZkFqqI/VdD2SiM7epI/AAAAAAAABUM/0PgTZoa-org/s640/blogger-image--854540477.jpg"></a></div>I like to fry the pieces in a Teflon coated wok with the oil of your choice. I prefer corn oil or peanut oil, but for the picture above all we had was canola oil.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WF9Obberzmk/VdD2RLMUUDI/AAAAAAAABT8/ZmMYNlURSss/s640/blogger-image--866958398.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WF9Obberzmk/VdD2RLMUUDI/AAAAAAAABT8/ZmMYNlURSss/s640/blogger-image--866958398.jpg"></a></div>Cook all pieces until the oil is mostly clear and the pieces are cooked throughout. The heart and little meat chunks typically finish before the liver.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Sb7tWXUWMCQ/VdD2QDyR-oI/AAAAAAAABT0/zUIslL2imVk/s640/blogger-image-411555542.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Sb7tWXUWMCQ/VdD2QDyR-oI/AAAAAAAABT0/zUIslL2imVk/s640/blogger-image-411555542.jpg"></a></div>Serve and enjoy! Here my son enjoys his with a side of barbecue sauce and chips. Another popular side is mashed sweet potatoes.</div><div><br></div><div>Give it a try next time you kill some rabbits, it is an extremely tasty treat!</div>Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621652682624770032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535842821378263143.post-47402774155345168212015-06-18T19:48:00.001-04:002015-06-18T19:48:35.298-04:00Spring 2015 Turkey Season There was lots of anticipation building up to the 2015 turkey season, including a trip to the NWTF Convention in Nashville. So, I took a camera with me on most days, but unfortunately the turkey did not cooperate for the most part. I did patch together some clips from the season, primarily at my son's request, and figured I would post it here for those who may be interested in watching it.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2u7WCI7O-uw" width="560"></iframe>Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621652682624770032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535842821378263143.post-81431124115723255982015-06-05T22:19:00.002-04:002015-06-05T22:19:32.612-04:00Short Clinch Trip with a FriendThis past Wednesday I chose to take the afternoon of and meet a buddy on the Clinch. I left work around noon, and it took a little longer than I expected to get to the river. However, I was surprised to see only one person wade fishing below the weir dam... This is usually a bring your own rock kind of place, so this was very strange. We figured that we had about 3 hours fish, so we geared up and hit the water. Before long we were wading out to our first spot, and Buzz hooked up before I even had my fly tied on. He yelled at me that I needed to get my fly in the water and stop tinkering around with my gear. It was all in good humor, but he was right. I quickly waded out and made my first cast with the fly rod in about 6 months, and was very pleased to feel the tug of a trout on the other end. I even took my stringer with me on this trip with the intention of keeping some fish for my kids, but that usually is the death blow on my trips. When I bring a stringer along, no fish are caught. The first fish was too small, so it was quickly released. Unfortunately, about this time I really was starting to regret not having my camera to document what seemed like it would be a fast paced day. This pace continued on for a while with rising fish all around, and we would pick up a fish every few minutes. When I arrived at the river I discovered that I was completely out of 6X fluorocarbon tippet, so I had to move on up to 7X (I couldn't buy a strike on 5X). This turned out to be a double edged sword as the smaller size enticed more strikes, but it also allowed three fish to break me off. Eventually I got things dialed in and managed to land a 15" rainbow on a very long downstream drift, and it was exciting to feel a good solid tug on the end of the line. What was most enjoyable about the trip was that Buzz and I were fishing relatively close to each other and were able to carry on a conversation and make jokes about various things throughout the trip. That is something I have missed over the past few years as either I fishing by myself on tailwaters or when fishing the park streams we are usually too far apart to communicate with each other. <br />
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I am now in the process of restocking my fly box with flies that I discovered I was out of, and replenishing some of those that were broken off while using my 7X tippet.<br />
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Of another positive note was the fact that this trip marked the first time I got to wear my new Patagonia Rock Grip wading boots out on the river. I picked these up over the winter on clearance at about 60% off, and was skeptical about their performance. I have lots of Patagonia gear and know it is top notch, but these were rubber soled boots and I didn't know how they would stand up to the rock snot in the Clinch. The night before I chose to only screw in 6 of the supplied studs into each sole, and I spaced them in such a way that I thought would best distribute my weight. My concern over previous studded soles is that they often left me feeling as if I was ice skating since there were so many studs that the rubber or felt never actually contacted the rock. These boots were quite possibly the most sure footed boots I have ever worn, or at least they were in the bottom type that we were fishing on below the weir dam. The next big test would be to try these boots out on either the South Holston or Watauga river with their perfectly smooth and round rocks the size of bowling balls. That requires a totally different walking technique, and would be a good test for these boots. Maybe I should take a drive up that way to give it a test, and while there maybe wet my fly line for a few hours.<br />
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Thanks for allowing me to ramble on, and until next time...<br />
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Tight Lines and God BlessTravishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621652682624770032noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535842821378263143.post-58706322264260090962015-05-30T22:20:00.000-04:002015-05-30T22:20:38.303-04:00Kids' First Fishing Trip of 2015I was supposed to be in Saudi Arabia this week, and when my trip was unexpectedly (and thankfully) cancelled I chose to take the kids fishing. I wanted to get up early and start the day below Melton Hill dam searching for yellow or white bass. However, we ended up sleeping in and going to the upper portion of Melton Hill lake, although I had to stop first and pick up my 2015 TN Sportsman's License before they raise the prices ~20% next month. <br />
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After about an hour and a half of sitting in the sun with no activity, the kids wanted to grab some lunch. So, we drove into Oak Ridge and grabbed a burger at our favorite burger joint, The Other One. <br />
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After lunch was over, the kids wanted to go back at it. They did excellent today, and we extremely patient especially considering we caught no fish. I honestly dislike fishing in public areas as I know they get hammered and the fish are ultra spooky. However, on short notice and without access to a boat we had to make do with what we have. Today really makes me wish I had a two person kayak to take the at least one of the kids out to an area where they have a much better chance of catching fish. <br />
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We ended up calling it a day around 2:00, but the kids smiling faces were completely worth it. This week is my son's birthday, so I will probably try to take him out again. In addition to that, I may even try to get over to the Clinch considering how favorable the generation schedules have been for the past couple of weeks. I have spent quite a bit of time over the past couple of weeks working to get the master bathroom remodeled, and it should be finished this week. So, some time out of the water will help me to unwind from the stressful past few weeks.<br />
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Until next time...<br />
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Tight lines and God bless!Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621652682624770032noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535842821378263143.post-91507986148914580792015-05-12T20:16:00.000-04:002015-05-12T20:16:54.533-04:00Just Checking InIt has been a while since I last posted, so I felt like I would check in. I am shocked at how difficult it has been to stay up to date on the blog. Between work, church, duties at home, two kids, and trying to get in some hunting or fishing in my spare time it leaves virtually no time to post any reports or gear reviews. I have recently purchased quite a bit of hunting and camping gear, all of which I would like to do a video review of. Although I don't know how long it will be before I will get around to uploading it. So, in the meantime I hope everybody is out there hunting, fishing and camping. Please stay tuned for upcoming reports and reviews.<br />
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God Bless,<br />
TravisTravishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621652682624770032noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535842821378263143.post-10310069901574924512015-02-16T16:38:00.001-05:002015-02-16T22:51:07.811-05:00NWTF Show 2015Ever since I learned last spring that the NWTF show was held in Nashville, I had made plans to go this year. Additionally, I wanted to make it a three generation trip by taking my dad and my 6-yr old son. So, as the time drew near the anticipation began to build, but surprisingly the most excited was probably my son. We arrived in Nashville on Thursday afternoon and got checked into the timeshare and the convention. Unfortunately the exhibit hall had not yet opened, so all we could do was look at the taxidermy competition entries on display. Since this was my first time at the convention I didn't really know what to expect regarding the crowd and how busy it would be. The wife and I have been to Opryland hotel numerous times before, and because of this I know that while the restaurant choices are plentiful the prices are pretty excessive. So, we opted to head down the street to a steakhouse (at my son's choice) and found ourselves in a waiting area surrounded by hunters. Once we were seated I scanned the dining room and found that everybody in the room was either wearing camo or clothing with a hunting manufacturer logo on it. I do admit that was pretty neat to be in an environment where everybody around you shared a similar passion and were not ashamed to show it.<br />
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The next morning we decided to head on over to the hotel about 30 minutes before the exhibit hall opened and grab some breakfast. Once again thanks to a previous trip there, I knew of a little out of the way pastry shop in the hotel where we grabbed a tasty and fast breakfast.<br />
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After breakfast we slowly made our way into the exhibit hall, and the first thing we saw was all the tables featuring the custom made turkey call competition. I didn't expect to see that, and the craftsmanship in some of these is outstanding.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the decorative call entries</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad carefully studying them</td></tr>
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I would estimate that we spent probably the first hour looking at these entries, and had no idea how much more there was in store for us. The exhibit hall was filled with the constant sound of yelps, cuts, gobbles, etc. that set the mood for the area. Booths were lined one after the other with small mom-n-pop call manufacturers, accessory suppliers, food condiment producers, and exotic species guide services. Then we began to transition from the small startup company booths to the major players in the industry such as Flextone, Primos, Zink Calls, HS Strut, etc. What I found surprising was that many of the small companies that manufactured custom calls were not charging much more than many of the major manufacturers. Another surprise was how many suppliers were selling their products, and many of them were selling them at a pretty good reduction off of MSRP.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trey checking out the Avian-X decoys</td></tr>
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One thing my son had been excited about during the week leading up to the trip was meeting Jana Waller from Skull Bound TV. Before Knology dropped the Sportsman Channel, this was probably his favorite outdoor show. While wandering around the Avian-X booth he saw her walk by, and we were off to track her down. When he caught up with her she was so extremely friendly and took time talking to him and even asked for a photo.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trey and Jana Waller of Skull Bound TV</td></tr>
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After meeting Jana we continued to walk around and came across a really interesting booth that featured barnwood mounting plaques for deer and turkey. The company was called <a href="http://custombarnwoodplaques.com/" target="_blank">Custom Barnwood Plaques</a>. They are a small company located in TN and I highly recommend looking at their products if you are looking for an interesting way to display that turkey fan or skull mount. They also make some very interesting furniture pieces, and their prices are incredibly reasonable. I especially like their three skull euro mount plaque, very unique and attractive.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of their triple fan and multi-beard plaques</td></tr>
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We poked around for a few more hours checking out some of the guide services and admiring the taxidermy on display. <br />
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By about 2:30 Trey starting getting tired, so we decided to call it a day and go back to the room to get ready for an early dinner treat. On the way out, he posed for a photo by some interesting mounts featuring eastern and oscellated turkey displays.<br />
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I had planned a little dinner treat for my dad and Trey. For years my dad and I would drive out to Dickson, TN every weekend during gun season and hunt from Friday through Sunday. We did this basically every weekend during gun season between my ages of 10 and 17. It was a great time, and it has been 17 years since I last took a trip out there. Every trip we would stop to eat at this little catfish joint appropriately named Twin Lakes Catfish Kitchen for all you can eat spicy catfish, coleslaw, white beans, hush puppies, and fries. So, we made the one hour drive from the Opryland Hotel to the restaurant and enjoyed one of the tastiest catfish comfort food meals I have had in a long time. It was just like I remembered, and I will not wait another 17 years before I return.<br />
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After than large meal we went back to the hotel and crashed for the night. The next morning we weren't in a hurry so we took our time loading the car before heading back to Opryland. That was a mistake, because the crowd between Friday and Saturday had probably tripled. It was difficult to walk amongst the mass of people, and on future trips I plan to just make a whole day of it on Friday and avoid Saturday. That being said, there were still deals to be had as some suppliers had marked down their prices from what they were on Friday. We spent most of the morning on Saturday at the Flextone/Tenzing/Plano booth where I picked up a few items at a discount and walked around the small custom call booths where many of the people took time trying to show Trey how to use various friction calls.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trey picked out his Christmas present for 2015</td></tr>
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Shortly afterward Trey asked to go see Jana Waller again, for the third time now. Amazingly she called him by name as soon as she saw him and gave him another big hug. I am very appreciative of the fact that while she signed numerous autographs those two days she remembered his name and took time to talk with him multiple times.<br />
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She is a class act, as was Steve Tittsworth from Greenback Tactical Hunters. Ironically I met Steve a week prior to the convention when I purchased a hunting jacket from him on Facebook. When I walked up to the Orca booth to say hi Jana was standing beside him and she immediately intercepted me and proceeded to introduce Steve to Trey and I. Steve and I let her in on the fact the we had previously met, and I got a little chuckle out of it. Another TV personality I had some interaction with and I found very interesting was Eddie Salter (The Turkey Man on Sportsman Channel). <br />
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This was a great convention and we are already making plans for a return trip next year. Now that we know how things work, I will be more prepared. I will definitely bring a backpack (something I didn't do until Saturday this year) and spend all day Friday 9AM to 7PM at the exhibit hall and avoid Saturday's crowds. I also think Amy would enjoy attending as there were lots of arts and craft type exhibits, not to mention the detailed craftsmanship involved in making the calls.<br />
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I would also like to take this opportunity to point out some additional booths that I thought featured some of the most innovative products at this years show:<br />
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<li><a href="http://www.fanaticoutdoors.com/product/hammock-seat/" target="_blank">Fanatic Outdoors</a> - Hammock Seat is very innovative</li>
<li><a href="http://www.tenzingoutdoors.com/" target="_blank">Tenzing Packs</a> - Packs that are innovative both from functionality and materials</li>
<li><a href="http://www.orioncoolers.com/" target="_blank">Orion Coolers</a> - Based in Sparta, TN and I think offer a better feature set than Yeti or Orca. If you are looking for a high end cooler give these guys a look, I think you will be pleased.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.avian-x.com/" target="_blank">Avian-X</a> - These guys aren't new comers to the turkey hunting game, but their decoys set the standard for lifelike and portable decoys.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.dadscalls.com/" target="_blank">Dad's Custom Calls</a> - It was hard to pick one manufacturer, but I think I liked these guys the best. They are a small business and they have some interesting products including the tiny peg & slate call. </li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trey checking out a DSD jake decoy while I eyeballed the new Sitka gear hanging above it</td></tr>
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Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621652682624770032noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535842821378263143.post-45988997252550337742014-11-30T20:50:00.002-05:002014-11-30T20:50:37.672-05:002014 Season Short Film: The Rut Is OnBelow is a short video compilation of three days of hunting the week of Thanksgiving. I hope you enjoy.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/OoFiP8559zA" width="560"></iframe>Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621652682624770032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535842821378263143.post-29980755961304232042014-09-20T21:57:00.003-04:002014-09-20T22:06:41.027-04:00Clinch River Update 9.20.2014For the past few months I have heard many reports about how much of a negative impact the stripers are having on the trout population on the Clinch. I thought it seemed logical because the last three or four trips I have made to the Clinch resulted in low trout/hr catch rates. However, deer season opens next weekend, so if I didn't make it out this week it could be a while before I return.<br />
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I got a late start to the morning after sleeping in, but was surprised to find the river virtually empty when I arrived at 9:30. I took my time getting ready, and worked my way downstream to one of my favorite runs. I saw some little brown caddis hatching, and it wasn't long before I was into fish. In fact, the fish were so active I landed 6 rainbows in my first 20 minutes (almost 20 casts as well). The first one was a little 7" dink, but the next 5 were in the 11 - 12" range.<br />
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Then, things suddenly stopped. All I could attribute it to was the fact that the fog had completely burned off, and now the sunlight was bright on the water. Thankfully, after about 30 minutes the trout adjusted and were back at again. Unfortunately, apparently everybody decided to float the Clinch today, and for the next 30 minutes I was dodging canoes and kayaks. I would hook a fish, then a kayak would float through and shut everything down for a few minutes.<br />
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I had 4 boats, FOUR OF THEM, float right through the run I was fishing in. Please note that this run was only about 10 yards wide by 15 yards wide, whereas the river is probably 75+ yards wide at this location... Only one of the four boats apologized for drifting through on me, and he actually told me to just get ready as there were about 20 other boats behind him coming around the bend. I managed to hook another couple of fish before I was interrupted again, and chose to call it a day. As I was getting out of the water, I saw the first of a couple of drift boats coming around the corner. However, the sulfurs were just starting to hatch, and the fish were very active. You read that right, sulfurs on the Clinch in September! Craziness!!!<br />
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My take-away from today's trip is that apparently the stripers have not damaged the trout population as severely as I had been lead to believe, as my hourly average was 5 fish/hr (10 trout in 2 hours)... I will take those numbers any time of the year, and actually those are the highest Clinch catch rates I have had since 2010 when I had some 30+ fish days. No big trout landed today, but I did see some large buttery brown heads poking out every now and again. Thankfully, I only missed two strikes (that I saw) all morning, and only had one long distance release. I feel extremely blessed to have the opportunity to get out today and have so much success, especially considering I had not wet a line since June.<br />
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Flies of the Day: #18 BHPT and #20 olive zebra midge.<br />
Catch Rate: 5 fish/hr <br />
Gear used: Orvis Zero Gravity 8'-6" 5-wt, Orvis Mid-Arbor reel, Rio Grand fly line, SeaGuar FX 7X tippetTravishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621652682624770032noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535842821378263143.post-87737265279730795942014-08-25T12:37:00.002-04:002014-08-25T12:37:34.390-04:00Outdoor companies, whose side are they on?Back in December of 2013 I did a little write-up about an experience I had here in Knoxville at a local outdoor store where somebody got offended that I mentioned using a name brand outdoor line as a supplement to my hunting gear. Below is the link:<br />
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<a href="http://tnfishingfanatic.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-outdoorsmans-conumdrum.html" target="_blank">http://tnfishingfanatic.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-outdoorsmans-conumdrum.html</a><br />
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While perusing a hunting forum that I check out from time-to-time I came across a little study that somebody did on an issue very similar to this. I found it interesting, although not entirely shocking for some of the responses. Below is the link to another blog post where the author wrote an email to various outdoor companies and requested they provide their stance on hunting. Give it a look, I think you will find it interesting...<br />
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<a href="http://thewesternbounty.com/we-support-them-do-they-stand-behind-us/" target="_blank">http://thewesternbounty.com/we-support-them-do-they-stand-behind-us/</a><br />
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I am proud to say that I have lots of Big Agnes gear, and this just helps enforce my opinion of them going forward. Also, I must say that I was a little bothered by Under Armour's response considering they have such an extensive line of hunting clothing and gear.Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621652682624770032noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535842821378263143.post-64963788732198152072014-03-23T21:20:00.001-04:002014-03-24T10:10:12.696-04:00South Holston Fish CampBack in my younger days, before kids were in the picture, we would do at least one fish camp trip per year if not more. During that time we discovered a little jewel of a location up on the South Holston River, that allowed us to camp right on the river with access to some phenomenal midge and sulfur hatch water. Unfortunately, two years ago I discovered that the property owner had passed away, and the property was in the middle of some legal and insurance disputes. So, I figured that my opportunity to go back to this place was long gone. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the original owner's daughter was trying to commercialize the farm and allow camping. I looked up her website, and saw that she had implemented a whole new pricing structure and that she had lost a large parcel of river frontage in the aftermath of the death. Regardless, I was seriously needing to get away for a couple of days for some serious fishing before turkey season starts up.<br />
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Buzz and I made the drive up on Thursday after taking the afternoon off work. It was a beautiful sunny day with temps in the 60's. When we arrived at the river we had it all to ourselves and there was a nice little midge hatch coming off with the sporadic <i>Baetis </i>emerging. About 30 minutes after I arrived Buzz pulled in, and the temptation to fish was too great. So, we abandoned some of the camp setup procedure and got geared up to hit the water. </div>
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I made my way upstream to a section of river that I enjoy fishing, and started swinging a Baetis soft hackle with a BHPT dropper. Within a couple of minutes I had a tug on the end of my line and pulled in my first colorful brown trout. Little did I know this would be the largest trout of my trip at right around 12". </div>
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I immediately began to question my decision to leave my DSLR back in the car instead of bring it with me, as the sunlight glare was not allowing me to capture the bright coloration of the fish. </div>
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I fished for probably another hour before going back to camp to get my dry fly box, which I also left in the car. While at camp the property owner came by and I spent a lot of time there talking to her about how much things had changed and her plans for the property going forward. All this time Buzz continued to fish and bring in some trout for himself. </div>
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Eventually, the beautiful day lead way to the evening and the fishing began to slow. Although the sunset was very nice.</div>
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The weather forecast had showed a high of 65 on Thursday, and an overnight low of 43 degrees. However, as we sat around the fire roasting our sausage dogs we began to question the accuracy of that forecast as it began to get cold quickly. We both got a little chilled during the night, and I discovered that my Big Agnes Insulated Air Core pad had gone down to about 1/3 full which allowed cold air to come up from beneath me through my MH Ultralamina 15 bag. This was not because of a leak, but the reduction of air volume as a result of the cold temps. When we rolled out of our bags Friday morning around 7:30 we discovered that everything was blanketed with a hard frost, and learned that the temps had dropped down into the 20's! Also there was a large smoke cloud coming from just across the mountain, and appeared to be up near the lake.</div>
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Buzz quickly got a fire going to help with the chill and get some hot water for breakfast.</div>
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The river was still high from the pulse, so we just fished from the bank near camp. Surprisingly Buzz found a nice little pod of young brownies willing to take his offering.</div>
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Once the water came down I took Buzz downstrean to another previously productive area, and we found the motherlode of trout sitting in a small depression about 10' in diameter. We probably landed between 15 and 20 trout out of that one hole. </div>
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After wearing out this pod of fish we went back to camp for a quick lunch, and the fish in front of camp continued to take midges while we ate. While we ate we watched a couple of other people get on the water and begin to fish in front of camp, so we chose to go upstream and fish some other water. Not only did the water look fantastic, the overall scenery was not too shabby either.<br />
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You can barely see Buzz in the photo on the far right of the picture. He got into a pod of fish up there and probably caught 12 to 15 out of that one little run, with rarely a fishless cast in between. It was quite a display. So, he invited me to come on up and give it a go, and I managed to pick up a few like this guy as well.<br />
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Eventually our backs and eyes began to hurt after so many hours of fishing, and I imagine Buzz's arm was starting to get sore after catching probably 40 fish by this time. So, we went back to camp for a snack and to just relax. During that time we continued to question the smoke just over the mountain top, so we decided to drive up to the dam and see if we could see what it was. <br />
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It turns out that the forestry service was doing a controlled burn over an area greater than 3,800 acres. By far the largest controlled burn I have seen in my lifetime, and quite impressive considering the gusty winds we had experienced all day long. We then returned to camp and found the river all to ourselves again, and fish taking midges in front of us was too tempting. So we geared up and went back after them. Once again, Buzz had the magic fly that the fish were just crazy over. I picked up a couple here and there, but his midge was easily collecing 5 fish to my 1, if not more in some spots. Upon later examination, while I thought we were fishing the same fly as we both referred to it by the same name, it turns out that his fly was significantly different than mine. Needless to say, I will be tying up some just like this for future trips, as it obviously was what they preferred. I have had days like that on the South Holston before where the trout were so selective that they would only take a #22 stripper midge with a brown bead. If I tried using a #22 stripper with a black bead, my strike rate would easily be reduced to 1/3 or less... This trip Buzz had the fly and the technique that allowed him to have a phenomenal day on the water. I would guess his fish count at somewhere around 50 for Friday alone.<br />
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By the time dinner came around we were both exhausted, but I had planned something different for dinner that night. Original plans was for there to be 3 or 4 of us on this trip, but David Knapp was unable to make it and my other buddy Dave had to cancel at the last minute for personal reasons. However, I had planned to make deer steak fajitas for everybody, and I was going to make them for Buzz and I. <br />
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The final product turned out pretty good if I do say so myself. Although, next time I will tenderize and marinate the meat at home so it may be a little better for fajitas.<br />
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That night we both slept extremely peacefully, and the temps only got down to probably the mid 30's so we were much more comfortable. Buzz actually got a little warm in his sleeping arrangement, and for the record that was the largest sleeping pad I have ever seen... :) Saturday morning we woke up to smoke choked valley and increasing cloud cover. Also, apparently TVA had changed the generation schedule from what we thought it was supposed to be and our fishing chances were dramatically limited. So we chose to just break down camp and start our drive back to Knoxville. All-in-all it was a very nice trip, with lots of fish brought to hand. I really wish David and Dave could have made the trip as well, and Buzz and I found ourselves joking the first evening about WWDKD (what would David Knapp do) while trying to figure out what they were taking. Unfortunately, this camping area has dramatically declined from what it used to be. The area available for camping is easily 1/3 of what it originally was, and there is no longer a bathroom. While this would not normally be a concern, it is when you consider that you are camping basically in the middle of a field with houses on both sides of you. So, you can't just go do your business anywhere. Additionally, there is no longer running water available at the campsite, unless you want to do your dishes in river water... Although, these inconveniences may be too much for some people, I think the proximity to the river with quality water nearby outweighs these negatives. <br />
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I hope you have enjoyed this report, and stay tuned for more reports. Turkey season opens this coming weekend, and I hope to have some early reports from those trips with my two kids to share with you. Until next time, tight lines and God bless.</div>
Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621652682624770032noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535842821378263143.post-20584502979094057132014-03-22T20:50:00.000-04:002014-03-22T20:51:06.341-04:00March Father-Son Camping TripI thought I would share a few pictures from my recent father-son camping trip in the Smokies a couple of weeks ago. I try to do a couple of these trips with Trey each year, and as he gets older I am going to try and do even more of them. He really enjoys our little trips, as he always has lots of questions about the animals, plants, and rocks... I try to answer as many of those as I can, but sometimes he asks questions that requires me to do a little research and respond later. So, in a way we both have an educational experience as well.. I hope you enjoy!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The weather was beautiful</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We did a little fishing</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trey caught his first trout on a fly</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spent a little time sitting by the fire</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trey's favorite camping meal - sausage dogs</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can't take a kid camping without smores</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We woke up to a chilly 35 degree morning, but Trey didn't complain</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even Trey's animals wanted to be near the fire...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A warm bowl of oatmeal was comforting</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trey enjoying the scenery</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Felt like we had the place to ourselves, so nice to not have to deal with the hoards of tourists</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Signs of Spring....</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The number one sign of Spring I have been waiting for!</td></tr>
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I typically avoid Cades Cove like the plague, however this weekend just prior to the start of Spring Break was quite nice. Crowds were extremely low, and the campgound was not busy at all. Unfortunately, we did manage to have a couple of large RV's pull in beside us and fire up their generators for hours. Trey kept walking around saying "I wish they would turn that noise off! What are they doing over there?". I had to explain to him that camping means different things to different people, and although we don't camp that way other people do. Those of you who know me know that I personally don't care for large RV's and despise generators when camping. In the words of Jase Robertson "<i>Once you bring something with wheels and that's enclosed, you are no longer camping. You're parking!</i>" I completely agree! However, in an attempt to not bias his opinion one way or the other, I tried to keep my opinion out of the discussion. <br />
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I hope you enjoyed the photo post, and my next post will be about a South Holston River trout fish camp trip. Stay tuned!Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621652682624770032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535842821378263143.post-59548536259381971482014-03-03T22:29:00.001-05:002014-03-03T22:29:55.533-05:00Back to FishingAfter a long harsh winter with virtually no fishing, this past weekend offered an opportunity. My wife and I were attending a marriage retreat in Pigeon Forge (which is about the only reason I will enter that horrific area), and I had some free time on Sunday after it concluded. I had been looking at the weather and thought it looked as if it may be getting favorable for a Quill Gordon hatches to begin. <br />
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Once the retreat adjourned I had our bags and gear packed up and ready to go, but realized that I had not yet purchased my 2014 license yet. So, a quick stop by Little River Outfitters was in order to pick that up and then off to the river it would be. However, upon arrival at the shop Daniel presented me with a very interesting proposition. They had recently gotten in a 7'-6" 4-wt Orvis Superfine Glass rod and he asked me if I wanted to take it out and give it a go on the river. Originally, I hesitated, but quickly caved as I thought about this opportunity. So, once Daniel had the rod packaged up we were off for a quick fishing trip, as I only had a couple of hours to spend before we needed to head back into Knoxville.<br />
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About the only time of year that I will even consider fishing roadside is in March during the Quill Gordon hatch, and most other times I prefer to be somewhere a little more remote to avoid all the tourists. When we pulled up to the spot I had intended to fish, the water looked excellent. However, there were some ominous clouds overhead and the wind was beginning to pick up.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://knxtravis80.zenfolio.com/img/s5/v125/p787762695-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://knxtravis80.zenfolio.com/img/s5/v125/p787762695-3.jpg" height="424" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orvis Superfine Glass & Battenkill Bar Stock Reel</td></tr>
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I got the rod rigged up and chose to use my own Orvis BBS II reel instead of the one at LRO, and on the first cast discovered just how sweet of a rod this is. It was a medium action rod with a full flex that allowed for effortless casting. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simple but elegant reel seat</td></tr>
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I actually began to see a few QG's coming off in the first little run I was fishing, but the trout were showing no interest. So, I changed over to a QG wetfly with a BHPT dropper. That was the ticket as I got a strike on the very next run swinging the flies in an across and down presentation. Unfortunately, this approach typically gives me some difficulty getting a solid hookset, and that little guy quickly came unbuttoned. <br />
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Thankfully, just a few more yards downstream I managed to bring in the first trout of the day. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This guy crushed my BHPT</td></tr>
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It was quite nice to feel a tug on the end of this sweet little rod, and get my first fish of the year to hand. At this point, I would have actually been content to just call it a day after only about 15 minutes of fishing. However, I chose to take advantage of the opportunity and continue on at least while the wind was still allowing me to fish some.<br />
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So, I continued on fishing downstream (my preferred approach when swinging wetflies), and managed to stick a couple more trout but once again they came off before bringing them to hand. Eventually, I came to a very nice long sweeping run with an undercut bank along the outside. I just knew there had to be something in there, so I carefully crawled up to it and presented my fly. I gave it a good long drift and then began to swing so that it kissed the edge of the undercut bank. That is when I saw a flash and set the hook into a much more hefty fish. The full flex glass rod doubled over and I saw a large shimmering body come near the surface but not out of the water. I quickly landed this guy and tried to snap a picture, however he had other plans as he managed to squirm free from my hand and drop into the water. The only shot I got does not display the coloring on him, but you can see most of his 10" length. Definitely the largest rainbow I have caught out of the particular stream I was fishing. Shortly after landing this guy the frontal system moved into the area and brought heavy winds that were making my casting a little difficult.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Healthy 10" Rainbow</td></tr>
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While the QG's were not popping in large numbers, they were beginning to make their debut when I called it quits around 12:45 to begin our drive back to Knoxville. In a little over an hour of fishing I managed to land two rainbows and let a few more get off while swinging flies. Plus the water levels looked awesome! Unfortunately the crazy winter appeared to have taken a toll on the trees lining the streams in the park as there were a lot more deadfalls in places that I typically have not experienced any. I don't know how this short cold snap is going to affect the QG and Blue Quill hatch, but it should be game on in the next couple of weeks.<br />
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<br />Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621652682624770032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535842821378263143.post-5571619822472892082014-02-08T21:59:00.000-05:002014-02-08T21:59:23.129-05:00Wild Game Cooking: Deer Liver TacosI like to brag that my family consists of adventurous eaters. We took both of our children to eat sushi as soon as they turned two, and now my five year old considers it his favorite meal. Additionally, my five year old son and two-and-a- half year old daughter love to watch and talk about hunting. So, naturally we try to find ways to make the most of our harvest. For years now I have been saving the heart and liver from all of the deer I kill, assuming they aren't shredded by shot. However, I wanted to try and find a different way to cook the liver as it has a very strong flavor that my wife finds somewhat objectionable (much stronger than beef liver). Lately my family has been on a kick for traditional tacos such as beef tongue, beef cheek, and pork stomach. So, that got me to thinking about a deer liver taco, and I gave it a try. Thankfully, it was a smash as my wife and son loved the combination of flavors. Below is a list of ingredients I used for our tacos:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Deer liver (diced into small chunks 1/2" x 1/2")</li>
<li>Butter</li>
<li>Diced onion</li>
<li>Diced garlic</li>
<li>Sea salt</li>
<li>Chili powder</li>
<li>Cilantro</li>
<li>Salsa</li>
<li>Tortilla shells</li>
</ul>
I sauteed the diced liver in butter with onion, garlic, sea salt, and chili powder. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at that dark red-brown liver!</td></tr>
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I sauteed it on low heat so as not to overcook the liver. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Liver, Onions, Garlic, & Chili Powder in butter</td></tr>
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Once cooked to a medium well consistency, I removed from the heat and began to build the tacos. The tacos consisted of a small flour tortilla (however corn could also be used) which I then layered with diced onion, cilantro, liver, and salsa. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Constructed taco</td></tr>
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I hope this recipe may have inspired you to try and do something different with your wild game. There is a whole new world of flavors out there that can be experienced when you open yourself up and use your imagination....<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My son gives it a thumbs up!</td></tr>
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<br />Travishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621652682624770032noreply@blogger.com1